Search - Jimmy Giuffre, Jim Hall :: Jimmy Giuffre With Jim Hall

Great music from the quiet Texan

Alejandra Vernon | Long Beach, California | 11/22/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Whether playing tenor/baritone sax or clarinet, the uniqueness of Giuffre's sound, and the depth of his artistry make him my favorite jazz musician. There's a serenity to his music, and the mellowness of his tone has a smooth feel to it even on the up-tempo tracks like "The Song is You".
Jim Hall's terrific guitar work, and Ralph Peña on bass complete this innovative trio. They make it sound so effortless...like they were sailing through this sometimes complex music, many of it written by Giuffre. His "Voodoo", "Crawdad Suite", and "Train and the River" are favorites, but the entire CD is a cohesive, beautiful work.
This CD is similar to the Atlantic release "Jimmy Giuffre 3", except for the last 4 tracks, and it's missing the fabulous rendition of the Dubin/Warren "Forty-second Street", which was a "bonus track" on "3".Why Giuffre didn't receive the fame of some of his contemporaries is a mystery to me. His genius was extraordinary, but perhaps this quiet Texan was too quiet in personality to catch the media's attention...or perhaps, that's the way he wanted it.To view his trio in performance, check out Bert Stern's marvelous 1958 film, "Jazz on a Summer's Day". The opening sequence is an unforgettable rendition of "The Train and the River", with Bob Brookmeyer on trombone, instead of Peña on bass...it's a rare treat to see as well as hear this jazz giant."

Beautiful but not new

Steven C. Berry | Edmonds WA | 07/07/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The potential buyer should be aware that this CD has been previously released as "The Jimmy Giuffre 3" on Atlantic. Weaving jazz and folk and classical music strands together, this is a masterpiece and should be constantly in print. No drummer, which was daring for the time. Buy it!"