Two for the Stage (and the Studio)

Two masters of the guitar with some of their finest playing.

It is always exciting to hear two practitioners of the same instrument collaborate, especially if they come from different generations and stylistic backgrounds. When the players in question are Jim Hall and Pat Metheny, the collaboration is a sheer delight. Jim Hall & Pat Metheny (Telarc, 1999) offers a stellar example of two geniuses of jazz guitar combine their talents to create a whole that is much greater than the sum of its parts.

Jim and Pat offer up a variety of tunes. Each contributes four originals, there are two standards, two numbers by other contemporary musicians and five impromptu pieces that were apparently improvised completely on the spot (although two of them, Improvisations No. 3 and No. 5, sound slightly composed, or at least premeditated). Six of the tracks were recorded live, the rest in the studio.

The treatment of standards, "All The Things You Are" and "Summertime," is particularly worth mentioning. "How many times must we hear these regurgitated?" one might ask. True enough, but of the dozens of versions of these tunes that probably got recorded just this year, the ones here are probably the only ones that qualify as interesting. "All The Things You Are" is basically a collective improvisation: the head is apparent, but the rest is just inspired simultaneous soloing from both players. For "Summertime," Metheny picks up a steel-string acoustic and strums some energetic, almost frantic chords. Until Hall's electric enters the picture, the tune - dare I make the comparison? - sounds like something off of a Led Zeppelin album.

Hall plays a single electric guitar throughout the album, although by tweaking the volume and tone controls, he achieves a remarkable variety of tonal color. Metheny, the younger of the two and historically more prone to experimentation, uses oddities like a 42-string harp guitar and fretless classical, in addition to the usual electrics and acousitcs. One of the challenges of the album, in fact, is telling the two musicians apart (assuming Metheny is not playing one of his unorthodox guitars). On the live tracks, the two are in separate channels, with Hall on the left, so having good stereo separation on your system will help. In the studio, the difference is less apparent unless you listen carefully to the solos and are very familiar with at least one of the players' style.

The writing is superb throughout the album. Not having heard much of what Metheny has done in the 90s, I was a little surprised to hear that his tunes were as lyrical as they were, but I must give him credit for attaining a new level of musical maturity and writing stuff that is appropriate for the situation. "Don't Forget," which is actually the theme from the movie "Passage to Paradise," is downright gorgeous. Hall's strongest contribution is "All Across The City," a quiet, slightly melancholy piece that closes the album. The soloing is consistently fresh, creative and energetic without being flashy or overstated. The only exceptions are perhaps Improvisations No. 1 and No. 2, both of which are complete dissonant chaos (No 2. features the infamous 42-string).

For guitar players and aficionados, Jim Hall & Pat Metheny should be required listening. For the rest, it's just great music from two masters of their instrument.