A harmonically advanced guitarist, Jim Hall attended the Cleveland Institute of Music. In the mid-'50s to early '60s, he was a member of the Chico Hamilton Quintet and the Jimmy Giuffre Three and toured with Ella Fitzgerald. An inspiration to many guitarists, Hall worked with Lee Konitz, Art Farmer, and Paul Desmond before becoming a studio musician in the mid-'60s. Though he's mostly led his own projects since, his two duet albums with Bill Evans are regarded as classics. A flurry of studio albums, reissues, and compilations followed throughout the next few years, with the exceptional Jim Hall & Basses standing out for its bass/guitar duet format. ~ Scott Yanow