JIMMY GIUFFRE / JIM HALL TRIO
Stuart Jefferson | San Diego,Ca | 06/27/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Four discs 78,72,77,74 minutes each approximately. The sound is very good-each instrument stands out from the others,with no instrument playing over any of the others. The booklet is very informative-with information on each of the six albums represented. This set comprises six albums: THE JIMMY GIUFFRE 3,TRAV'LIN' LIGHT,THE FOUR BROTHERS SOUND,WESTERN SUITE,7 PIECES,and THE EASY WAY,all recorded between 1956 and 1959. Jimmy Giuffre and Jim Hall are on all tracks with varying bassists and on a number of tracks the great Bob Brookmeyer on valve trombone and piano.
This is some of the finest,truly small group jazz ever played. All these musicians are of the highest caliber on their respective instruments. The thought,the interplay,and the subtle sound these trios produce are found nowhere else in jazz. Many trios have played fine jazz,but the combination of instruments here is unbeatable. The lonely yet sometimes jovial clarinet,or the wonderful tenor or baritone sax of Giuffre is in a class by itself. Hall's guitar sparkles on everything here,whether he's out front or part of the group sound,his note placement is perfect. Brookmeyer's trombone and piano adds another dimension entirely to these tracks. The double bass work is always of the highest caliber,never in the way,but adding that bottom sound that anchors the others.
Some jazz listeners will know the track "The Train and the River",which was used in both the TV show "THE SOUND OF JAZZ",and the 1958 film,"JAZZ ON A SUMMER'S DAY",from the Newport Jazz Festival. There are also a number of fairly rare tracks,especially the live trio numbers from the same time period,taken from "THE STARS OF JAZZ" TV show,and one track,"Song of the Wind" recorded at an unknown venue,on cd for the first time. There are also some tracks of multiple (4) overdubs of Giuffre's tenor sax,along with Hall's guitar and Brookmeyer's piano,which are interesting to hear,along with some unaccompanied tracks of overdubs by Giuffre.
All the music here is what many call "chamber jazz",but don't let that fool you. The reserved playing,the thoughtful arrangements,and the precise tempos make this collection stand out from all other trios. The sheer beauty of the playing is something jazz listeners should hear. This is straight ahead,subtle jazz playing unlike few other recordings/groups in jazz. While Giuffre recorded a great (and famous) album FREE FALL,which was in a number of ways the antithesis of this music,being termed "free jazz",with a lot of hard playing by that particular trio,you won't hear anything like that here. The precision and intelligence of the playing is startling-never dry and academic. There is a mysterious "rightness" to these recordings-no wrong notes,no grand-standing by the players-just deep,beautiful music.
This is one of those sets that,the more it's played,more is heard each time. That's the mark of great jazz."
Track Listings (18) - Disc #1