“Jim Hall: Exploring Jazz Guitar” By Jim Hall / Supervised by Hiroyuki Awazawa / Translated by Miho Fujii Price: 2700 yen Anyone who is a fan of modern jazz has likely heard of Jim Hall, whose collaborations include the legendary albums with Sonny Rollins and Bill Evans. This book, written by Jim Hall in 1990, who remained a top performer from the late 1950s through the 2000s, was published in Japanese by Rittor Music in 1996. The book is aimed at players, like a collection of musical scores plus performance commentary, with scores for numerous songs and Hall's own discussions on various aspects of jazz guitar playing. The beginning includes an autobiographical account of how Jim Hall became a jazz guitarist, along with various anecdotes from the jazz world of the time. The middle section features discussions about Charlie Christian and other guitarists, and even a few pages of fond memories from the Village Vanguard, offering delightful stories that will captivate any jazz fan. When the book presents musical scores and Hall's explanations of his playing style and approach, interspersed throughout the phrases of the songs, it delves into theoretical discussions, making it challenging to follow unless you can read music and have some experience playing jazz guitar. In fact, the book itself is like taking lessons from Jim Hall as a master, and even experienced jazz musicians may find it difficult to fully understand the details. Here is a quote from the text under the photo on the back cover: "If you are currently stuck on the direction or ideas of your music, this book will surely rescue you from the musical jungle you've wandered into. ● The importance of realizing the essence ● The preparation needed to be musical ● Ideas and inspiration for composition ● Thinking about jazz improvisation Come on, let's go on a musical exploration with Jim Hall." Even if you don't play guitar, anyone who wants to be deeply involved in music, including jazz, will find some insights. I especially recommend it to young people. #Jim Hall #Jim Hall #Jazz #Jazz Guitar #Guitarist