Denver-based bass player Paul Warburton recently remarked that he gets “tired of bass solos filled with too many notes, loud amps and no swing.” Chances are he would enjoy this new release on the relaunched Impulse! label. It was recorded at the Jazz Beat club in Montreal as part of the Montreal Jazz Festival in 1990. The album had been planned for release for some time, but is made all the more poignant by the recent passing of both Jim Hall, who died last December, and Charlie Haden, who left us in August this year.
Both musicians enjoyed playing in a duo format, of course; Haden recorded an album of duo recordings, Closeness, in 1978, and has also recorded albums with Keith Jarrett, Ornette Coleman, John Taylor, Chris Anderson and Hank Jones, to name but a few. Jim Hall made two albums with Bill Evans in the 1960s, Undercurrent and Intermodulation, and also recorded with Ron Carter, Red Mitchell, Pat Metheny and Enrico Pieranunzi, amongst others. Whilst Haden and Hall had met on numerous occasions, this is thought to be the first time they had played together, and it is a cause for celebration that these wonderful recordings have finally seen the light of day.
The set consists of both standards and originals, but includes one or two unusual choices, which makes for interesting listening. They open with Monk’s Bemsha Swing, and swing it does, right from Haden’s rich, resonant introduction. There’s some lovely, subtle interplay between the two musicians, almost as though they are feeling one another out. Haden’s First Song is an interesting inclusion, as the tune had only just been recorded. It was the title track of his album on Italy’s Soul Note records, recorded in April 1990, and featured Enrico Pieranunzi on piano and Billy Higgins on drums. It has proved to be on of Haden’s most popular compositions, and one that he revisited many times over the years. It is given a delicate reading by Hall, his liquid, clean sound a delight to hear.
Jim Hall’s Down From Antigua, a calypso-themed tune, is another interesting conclusion, Hall’s strumming more folky in style than we are generally accustomed to. Other highlights are Ornette Coleman’s Turnaround, which was apparently one of Haden’s favourite Coleman tunes, and Hoagy Carmichael’s Skylark, which was chosen by the guitarist.
The quality of the recording is excellent, and captures Haden’s warm, wooden tone particularly well. The liner notes, written by Ethan Iverson (The Bad Plus), are also interesting and insightful. Highly recommended, and a welcome addition to the discography of these two great artists.
