Born in Buffalo, New York in 1930, James Stanley Hall was an American jazz guitarist, composer and arranger. Hall moved with his family to Cleveland, Ohio, during his childhood. Hall's mother played the piano, his grandfather the violin, and his uncle the guitar. Jim began playing the guitar at the age of 10, when his mother gave him an instrument as a Christmas present. At 13 he heard Charlie Christian play on a Benny Goodman record, which he called his "spiritual awakening”. As a teenager in Cleveland, he performed professionally, and also took up the double bass. Hall's major influences since childhood were tenor saxophonists Coleman Hawkins, Lester Young, Paul Gonsalves, and Lucky Thompson. While he copied out solos by Charlie Christian, and later Barney Kessel, it was horn players from whom he took the lead. In 1955, Hall attended the Cleveland Institute of Music, where he majored in composition, studying piano and bass in addition to theory.
DISC ONE
1. Stompin’ At The Savoy 4:05
2. Things Ain’t What They Used To Be 4:44
3. This Is Always Necessary 2:52
4. Thanks For The Memory 5:14
5. Tangerine 3:55
6. Stella By Starlight 3:11
7. 9:20 Special 5:41
8. Deep In A Dream 4:30
9. Look For The Silver Lining 3:14
10. Seven Come Eleven 3:52
11. Arrowhead 7:01
12. Street Swingers 6:22
13. Hot Buttered Noodling 6:04
14. Musicale Du Jour 8:51
15. Raney Day 5:27
16. Jupiter 5:07
ALBUMS
Jazz Guitar
The Street Swingers
DISC TWO
1. He’s Gone Away 3:38
2. Jacob’s Ladder 3:08
3. We Played At Love 3:54
4. Mother I Would Marry 2:54
5. Wandering 2:56
6. The house Of The Rising Sun 4:10
7. Hold On 3:01
8. The Streets Of Laredo 4:41
9. Black Is The Colour 2:29
10. Dark Is The Night 3:13
11. Pretty Little Horses 2:51
12. I Gave My Love A Cherry 2:38
13. Abstraction 4:13
14. Piece For Guitar & Strings 6:27
15. Variants On A Theme Of John Lewis (Django): Variant I 5:30
16. Variant II 1:39
17. Variant III 3:09
18. Variants On A Theme Of Thelonious Monk (Criss-Cross): Variant I 6:23
19. Variant II 1:50
20. Variant III 4:12
21. Variant IV 3:02
ALBUMS
A Girl & A Guitar
Jazz Abstractions
DISC THREE
1. My Funny Valentine 5:25
2. I Hear A Rhapsody 4:41
3. Dream Gypsy 4:36
4. Romain 5:24
5. Skating In Central Park 5:24
6. Darn That Dream 5:09
7. Hold Me 2:50
8. A Primera Vez 4:20
9. Presente De Natal 3:07
10. Morning Of The Carnival 4:34
11. Este Seu Olhar 4:33
12. Betminus 3:18
13. Move It 4:26
14. All Across The City 4:49
15. Coisa Mas Linda 4:20
16. How About You 3:53
ALBUMS
Undercurrent
Two Jims and Zoot
DISC FOUR
1. I’ve Got You Under My Skin 3:25
2. My Man’s Gone Now 6:48
3. Turn Out The Stars 7:36
4. Angel Face 6:36
5. Jazz Samba 3:10
6. All Across The City 4:51
7. Capricious 2:23
8. Impromptu 9:40
9. Don’t Go Down South 3:52
10. Muffle Guffle 4:54
11. Free And Ooozy 6:31
12. Paraphrase 4:56
13. Empty Ballroom 4:26
14. At La Carrousel
ALBUMS
Intermodulation
Impromptu (with Billy Taylor)