Jim Hall & Ron Carter - Alone Together

ALONE TOGETHER is one of the great duet albums in instrumental jazz.

Guitarist Jim Hall and bassist Ron Carter are renowned as both studio musicians and members of stellar outfits (Hall played with Jimmy Giuffre and Art Farmer; Carter with Miles Davis's second great quintet). In the intimate, chamber-jazz atmosphere of these live dates, however, the true sensitivity and flexibility of both artists can be heard.

Carter and Hall are sophisticated, harmonically advanced players. They value balance and space as much as technical showmanship, and both play with a cool tone and rhythmically intricate flair that scintillates as it soothes and seduces. The majority of the program consists of standards ("Autumn Leaves" and "Prelude to a Kiss)," along with other covers (Sonny Rollins's "St. Thomas"). Hall contributes an original, the smoky "Whose Blues," as does Carter, with the sly bop flourishes on "Receipt, Please."

Throughout, the music is playful, highly lyrical, energetic, and beautiful, while representing an almost uncanny telepathy between the two performers. Aside from faint crowd noise from the club audience, this album is perfection.