Jim is one of my most profound influences as a musician.
While my wife and I were at IAJE in NYC in 2004 we went to see Jim and Charlie Haden play duo at The Blue Note. Charlie was doing a week of duos with guitarists. He did two nights with Sco, two with Frisell and two with Jim.
I had just picked up Jim Hall’s “Live” CD the day before and I brought it to the show. After the show, Cindy and I went upstairs to use the restroom. At the Blue Note the women’s restroom is right next to the dressing room. As I was waiting for Cindy I saw that Jim was talking to woman in his room with the door opened a bit. As she was leaving, Jim walked her out and turned around and said hi to me. I said hello and he invited me into his dressing room and closed the door. By this time, I had honestly forgotten that Cindy was still in the restroom. Jim asked me if I played guitar and where I was from like we were old friends. I had him sign my copy of “Live!” and then in walked Charlie Haden. It took me a second to realize that I was sitting on a couch with Jim Hall and Charlie Haden. Both Charlie and I are from Iowa, so we talked about that a bit and then Cindy walked right in. Both Jim and Charlie were shocked that this woman had walked right into their dressing room. I said that she was with me. Both Cindy and I sat with them for a bit longer and then we had to catch a cab across town to see Pat Martino at the Iridium.
I get asked a lot from my students what my favorite recordings are, jazz and otherwise. For the next few days I want to highlight some of the more important recordings that shaped my world as a musician.
I discovered Pat Martino while I was an undergrad at Minnesota State University. What amazed me the most about Pat was his articulation and his never ending sense of swing. In January of 2004 my wife and I went to New York for the first time to the IAJE conference. I was very excited to find out that Pat was playing not far from my hotel at the Iridium Jazz Club. This was shortly after his “Think Tank”album came out. The group at the time included David Kikoski, James Genus, Lenny White and Joe Lovano. Cindy and I had just come from seeing Jim Hall and Charlie Haden at the Blue Note.
I had begun to transcribe “Just Friends” right before I left for NYC. I was really hoping that Pat would play it, but considering where he was stylistically with this band, I didn’t hold out much hope. However the show was great with one highlight being Coltrane’s “Africa”. After the show I managed to meet Pat and have him sign my copy ofEl Hombre. Pat is one of the nicest musicians and people I have ever met.
When I got back to school I finished my transcription of “Just Friends” and then came across Steve Khan’s book of Pat Martino solos. I was embarrassingly inaccurate with my “version”p of the transcription. I ended up playing that solo and head so much that to this day my wife can sing it note for note.
