Inspired is a loving tribute to the legacy of the late, great, jazz guitar legend Jim Hall, a collection of jazz standards as well as a few Hall originals, all recorded by four of the top talents in the field today, John Abercrombie, Peter Bernstein, Lage Lund, and Rale Micic. Though all four players come from completely different backgrounds and generations, their love for Hall is what brought them all together here, and the results are remarkable. Sadly, only one song features all four players together, that being "All Across the City", but it's a real gem that sits square in the middle of Inspired, surrounded by a host of solo & duet numbers that all thrill with the skills of these guitarists as they pay homage to the master. The legendary Abercrombie pairs off with Serbia's Micic for a tender take on "My Funny Valentine", while the veteran Bernstein saddles up next to Norway's Lund for a fun interpretation of the Hall original "Bon Ami". Ironically, it's some of the solo pieces that really stand out, and each musician here gets one of their own. Bernstein's melodic phrasing is a joy to behold on "My Ideal", Lund's lush rendition of "Body and Soul" will bring a tear to your eye, Abercrombie pours plenty of taste & class into Gershwin's "Embraceable You", and Micic adds a tender touch to "Along Together", his blazing runs tempered by pure emotion and passion.
With plenty of 'inspired' duets and solo moments, this is basically about four guys getting together and paying tribute to one of the most important jazz guitarists of the last 100 years. Job well done.
See more about this release on our recent YouTube show!
Track Listing
1) Dream Steps
2) Along Together
3) Bon Ami
4) My Funny Valentine
5) I'm Getting Sentimental Over You
6) All Across the City
7) My Ideal
8) I Should Care
9) Body and Soul
10) I Hear A Rhapsody
11) Embraceable You
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