Hall’s Guests Show His Breadth, Reach

*** JIM HALL

“Panorama: Live at

the Village Vanguard”

Telarc

An equally appropriate title for this diverse set of performances might have been “Guest Star Gala.” Working a five-night run at Greenwich Village’s legendary nightclub, Hall decided to include a different musical companion in the lineup each night: pianists Kenny Barron and Geoff Keezer, fluegelhornist Art Farmer, trombonist Slide Hampton and alto saxophonist Greg Osby.

The range in both age and style among the players is considerable, and Hall’s capacity to adjust his guitar playing to each without abandoning any of his own individuality is testimony to his breadth and reach as a musical artist.

Among the highlights: Farmer’s performance on “Little Blues” is both lyrical and surprisingly edgy; Barron’s thoughtful playing on his two tracks is as predictably stimulating as ever; Hampton’s smooth trombone contrasts dramatically with Osby’s freely articulated, cutting-edge soloing--especially on the Ornette Coleman-esque “Furnished Flats”; and Keezer’s brisk piano work is the perfect companion to Hall’s extended soloing.

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