Valse Hot – 1979
Bob Brookmeyer and Jim Hall
A dazzling duet by two jazz greats
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Valve trombonist Bob Brookmeyer and guitarist Jim Hall first recorded together in 1957 on a pair of Brookmeyer’s albums and they were both members of the Jimmy Giuffre 3 in 1958 and Gerry Mulligan’s Concert Jazz Band in 1961.
They crossed paths less often after 1963 but remained mutual admirers.
At the 1979 Northsea Jazz Festival, Brookmeyer and Hall were featured during a unique duet set.
They perform an uptempo version of Sonny Rollins’ “Valse Hot” with Brookmeyer taking a particularly fluent solo while Hall (who also has a fine solo) acts as the full rhythm section.
This is a classic (and rare) valve trombone-guitar duet; one never misses the other instruments.
-Scott Yanow
Ella Fitzgerald