Weekend Extra: Workout At The Y

DevraDoWrite went to guitarist Jim Hall’s concert last night at the 92nd Street Y in New York. She liked it.

My reaction is favorably biased, of course, as Jim is my dad, but it was a great concert, really. I’m not going to review it — hopefully someone else will, but I will tell you that my favorite part of the program was the second half. That’s when an unusual string section consisting of six cellos and six violas played on three compositions: a Jim Hall original titled October Song, an arrangement of John Lewis’ “Django” featuring Jim along with guitarist Peter Bernstein, and “Goodbye” by Gordon Jenkins featuring Joe Lovano on clarinet and soprano saxophone.

Go here for all of Devra’s comments. Someone else did review the concert…Zan Stewart in The Star Ledger (Newark). His first line: “Jim Hall is a giant of jazz guitar.” He liked the concert, too.

Flugelhornist Tom Harrell offered breathy, singing lines on “With a Song in My Heart,” as Hall backed him with almost scratchy-sounding chords, then soloed with the warm, full sound that recalled his early career work. And there was tenor saxophonist Joe Lovano, who teamed with the honoree for the saxman’s “Blackwell’s Message.” Hall soloed with ideas that ranged between abstract and grounded.

All of Stewart’s review is here.