Intermodulation, 17 Nov 2002
The first Evans-Hall duo album, Undercurrent, was too good to be a one-off and so a few years later they made this follow-up. Whether it’s as good as Undercurrent is a matter of opinion. Both artists are in good form, which is recommendation enough. However, there’s a degree less warmth and depth in the recording than on Undercurrent and it may be this that makes the playing on Intermodulation seem a bit more detached and cerebral.
There are good things here, though. I like the oblique approach to ” I Get a Kick out of You”, which begins with a nicely shaped improvised chorus from Hall on the familiar chord sequence and only states the tune directly at the end. Both artists seem to play with more relaxation and assurance at this kind of up-tempo on Intermodulation, although on both albums, most of the pieces are slower-paced. Of the slower pieces, “My Man’s Gone Now” is particularly successful: the sombre, bluesy melody from Porgy and Bess bringing out the more emotive side of their playing. There’s some committed playing on the two ballad originals, although Hall sounds rather tentative, and tonally bland, on Evans’s “Turn Out the Stars”, perhaps because of a lack of familiarity with the piece. Both artists play atmospherically on Hall’s “All Across the City” – as they did, even more impressively on Hall’s “Romain” on Undercurrent.
If you don’t have either of these duo albums, Undercurrent is perhaps the one to try first. Intermodulation, with its well-balanced programme of interestingly chosen material makes a good sequel.

Intermodulation, 17 Nov 2002
The first Evans-Hall duo album, Undercurrent, was too good to be a one-off and so a few years later they made this follow-up. Whether it’s as good as Undercurrent is a matter of opinion. Both artists are in good form, which is recommendation enough. However, there’s a degree less warmth and depth in the recording than on Undercurrent and it may be this that makes the playing on Intermodulation seem a bit more detached and cerebral.
There are good things here, though. I like the oblique approach to ” I Get a Kick out of You”, which begins with a nicely shaped improvised chorus from Hall on the familiar chord sequence and only states the tune directly at the end. Both artists seem to play with more relaxation and assurance at this kind of up-tempo on Intermodulation, although on both albums, most of the pieces are slower-paced. Of the slower pieces, “My Man’s Gone Now” is particularly successful: the sombre, bluesy melody from Porgy and Bess bringing out the more emotive side of their playing. There’s some committed playing on the two ballad originals, although Hall sounds rather tentative, and tonally bland, on Evans’s “Turn Out the Stars”, perhaps because of a lack of familiarity with the piece. Both artists play atmospherically on Hall’s “All Across the City” – as they did, even more impressively on Hall’s “Romain” on Undercurrent.
If you don’t have either of these duo albums, Undercurrent is perhaps the one to try first. Intermodulation, with its well-balanced programme of interestingly chosen material makes a good sequel.

Beyond Belief! The best jazz guitarist of the modern age!, 23 May 2006
Yes I know that is a sweeping statement when you think of all the greats of jazz guitar, Reinhardt, Christian, Montgomery, Mclaughlin and Metheny etc etc. BUT this guy is seriously, seriously phenomenal not just in his impeccable technique but also in his melodic precision and harmonic awareness; he's an absolute monster player.The guy just has it all, no wrong notes in there under the guise of "outside" playing; every one of Smith's notes counts, no fillers His chord melody is gorgeous as well!

I am a jazz guitarist and know how hard it is presently even with all the influences we have to listen to, but back in the fifties and with his ability to play perfectly over the changes....Phew! How did he learn the changes so well???

This guy is very respected I know but he deserves much more of a legendary status; I don't understood why Johnny Smith isn't a household name in jazz music along the lines with Wes Montgomery and John Mclaughlin. Nonetheless, A truly gifted virtuoso who was playing faster and more precisely than John Mclaughlin does now, forty years back!!

A master who's been too obscure too long, 21 Feb 2006
Any guitar player who cut his teeth on Hendrix will have to admit that while the bulk of recorded jazz guitar is more melodically and harmonically sophisticated than rock, it's not very exciting; the cutting edge of classic jazz was wielded throughout its history almost entirely by horn players and pianists. There are exceptions, such as Sonny Sharrock, and when you venture out into the wilds of free improvisation there's the late great Derek Bailey. But mainstream jazz guitar has been too often dominated by good taste and facility, rather than creative fire or emotional intensity.

I'd never listened to Johnny Smith before I picked up this set the other day in a bargain shop. He's one of the few "regular" jazz guitarists I can listen to with real pleasure, instead of just baffled respect for technique; his chops are immaculate, as you'd expect from such a studio veteran, but he also has remarkable wit and daring, as well as an emotional directness (almost a down-homeness) that's rare in guitarists playing this kind of thing. I also like the fact that he wrote "Walk, Don't Run". The fact that he seems to be a genuine mensch as well (abandoning his career at its height in order to spend more time with his young daughter after the death of his second wife) is neither here nor there, since nobody said that great musicians have to be nice people, but it does make him look like a strong candidate for a TV movie...

This album is proof to rock fans like me that a classicist doesn't have to be boring. We need more Johnny Smith on disc. He was a great player, one you don't have to pretend to love.

A Welcome Return By The Genius Of Jazz Guitar, 02 Sep 2001
Johnny Smith (born Birmingham, Alabama, USA, 1922) made his big impact on the world of the jazz guitar in the early 1950's with his recording of "Moonlight in Vermont" with the great Stan Getz on tenor saxophone. He went on to produce a classic series of albums on the now-defunct Roost label based in New York, of which this re-issue comprises two. He retired comparatively early from the studio scene, and like Tal Farlow, he became a cult figure because of the fleeting glimpses the musical public had of him, and his recordings became highly collectable items.

Just what did Smith have that distinguished him from others? Though self-taught, he played in virtuoso style, instantly recognisable by his close-harmony chords, where the notes hung together, as someone once said, "like smoke in a crowded room". No electronic gimmicks for him; what you got came straight through the speaker with no frills attached. He made attractive versions of "the standards", always technically exact, but with occasional highly individual runs which moved around beautifully within the chords.

To the general public he was probably best-known in the 1960's for writing the Ventures' classic rock instrumental, "Walk, Don't Run". He was characteristically modest about the song, saying he had cribbed the chord sequence from the old standard, "Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise".

On the first 9 tracks of this CD (the original "Sound Of" Roost LP)he is heard with another jazz virtuoso, Hank Jones, on piano, along with George Duvivier on bass and Ed Shaughnessy, drums. These are obviously all star performers in their own way, familiar and comfortable with one another's style. The album opens up quietly enough with "Come Rain Or Come Shine", but picks up the tempo with "Gypsy In My Soul". Back to skilful slow tempo now with "Embraceable You" and that perennial favourite "Misty", which concluded Side 1 of the original Roost release.

The masterful Smith and his colleagues then swing brightly into "As Long As There's Music", switching back to the quiet mood of Thelonious Monk's classic "'Round Midnight".

Smith's highly individual chord work and trademark runs shine through on the next track, "This Can't Be Love", and Jones is no less distinctive as he slots in his solo.

"Blues Chorale" is a soulful slowie in minor key, creating a nice contrast to the previous song. The unaccompanied guitar masterpiece was another of Smith's hallmarks, and "Prelude", though short, is a typical example.

Tracks 10-20 see a change in sidemen: Bob Pancoast, piano; George Roumanis, bass; and "Mousey" Alexander, drums. These tracks comprised the original "Johnny Smith Plus The Trio" album on Roost.

From the slower tempo standards like "I Got It Bad", "I Can't Get Started", "Over The Rainbow", and "Prelude To A Kiss", to the quicker selections like "Some Of These Days", and "Out Of Nowhere", Smith stamps his own unmistakeable style onto the proceedings, usually stating the basic melody for starters, then gradually giving the piece more colour as he introduces those beautifully-executed runs and tightly-spaced chords. He is generous with his sidemen, giving Pancoast plenty of room to shine, and Alexander virtually gets a drum solo track on "Un Poco Loco". A bright "It's You Or No One" closes out the CD.

This "Two LPs on One CD" format is excellent value for money, especially when you consider the prices that near-mint Roost JS LPs can command. For the completist, there is now the excellent Mosaic box set, but if you don't want to break the bank, you can pick up most of his Roost career in easy stages with the various reissues.

Highly recommended, both for the dedicated Johnny Smith collector and the uncommitted seeker after tasteful, listenable guitar.

In the 1950s, guitarist Barney Kessel, drummer Shelly Manne, and bassist Ray Brown scored consistently high in polls conducted by jazz fans (for example, in publications such as Downbeat, Metronome, and Playboy). As a result, producer Lester Koenig at Contemporary decided that it was time to record the three men as a trio. The result was The Poll Winners, a 1957 collection of popular standards and one Kessel original. In lesser hands, this project could have been a tasteless exercise in commercialism. Fortunately, The Poll Winners is the occasion for a fresh, inspired performance of integrity and near-telepathic communication. The inheritor of the Charlie Christian tradition, Kessel--who was also raised in Oklahoma-- reveals himself as the consummate swing and bop artist in tracks such as "Jordu" and his own "Minor Mood". The self-taught Kessel also shows his successful absorption of the modern, West Coast performance school, as well as a blues-tinted orientation here and there ("Mean To Me"). The piano-less format allows plenty of room for Kessel and company to blow within single notes and across modulated chords. Mindful of the needs of his fellow players, Kessel's closely-knit interactions with prime-time sidemen Manne and Brown assumes a more relaxed profile in a classic reading of Duke Ellington's "Satin Doll". The chemistry extends to lyrical episodes such as "It Could Happen To You" and "You Go To My Head". With its steady flow of melodic ideas and rhythmic inventiveness, The Poll Winners is a completely satisfying experience brought to life by Roy DuNann's dynamic engineering. The group continued their career in a number of popular sequels, including Poll Winners Three!. --Kevin Mulhall

In the 1970s, guitarist Jim Hall and bassist Ron Carter joined to form one of the most enduring and empathetic duos in jazz history. Their first album was Alone Together, a collection of standards and originals recorded live at New York's Playboy Club in 1972. Known for his conservative, reliable delivery, Hall opens with an embarrassingly effortless reading of Sonny Rollins' "St. Thomas". Carter immediately establishes himself as a simpatico partner, complementing Hall's nonpareil, deceptively simple technique through his parallel, contrapuntal lines. Though there is little in the way of improvisational tension manufactured in this eight track programme, Hall and Carter compensate by delivering an elegant, controlled concert characterised by time-shifting patterns and moments of sublime beauty ("Softly As In A Morning Sunrise"). There are no false notes or rough jousts in "Alone Together", only a relaxed, gentlemanly ambience that occasionally disguises an overt virtuosity. Elements of Django Reinhardt and Charlie Christian can be found in the progressive phrasing of Hall, whose cat-like finesse is most clearly pronounced in his own "Whose Bluse". His conversations with Carter reach a peak in the concluding "Prelude To A Kiss" and "Autumn Leaves". An ideal collaboration, then, offering a programme equally suited to a late- night club session or an alfresco picnic. --Kevin Mulhall

Intermodulation, 17 Nov 2002
The first Evans-Hall duo album, Undercurrent, was too good to be a one-off and so a few years later they made this follow-up. Whether it’s as good as Undercurrent is a matter of opinion. Both artists are in good form, which is recommendation enough. However, there’s a degree less warmth and depth in the recording than on Undercurrent and it may be this that makes the playing on Intermodulation seem a bit more detached and cerebral.
There are good things here, though. I like the oblique approach to ” I Get a Kick out of You”, which begins with a nicely shaped improvised chorus from Hall on the familiar chord sequence and only states the tune directly at the end. Both artists seem to play with more relaxation and assurance at this kind of up-tempo on Intermodulation, although on both albums, most of the pieces are slower-paced. Of the slower pieces, “My Man’s Gone Now” is particularly successful: the sombre, bluesy melody from Porgy and Bess bringing out the more emotive side of their playing. There’s some committed playing on the two ballad originals, although Hall sounds rather tentative, and tonally bland, on Evans’s “Turn Out the Stars”, perhaps because of a lack of familiarity with the piece. Both artists play atmospherically on Hall’s “All Across the City” – as they did, even more impressively on Hall’s “Romain” on Undercurrent.
If you don’t have either of these duo albums, Undercurrent is perhaps the one to try first. Intermodulation, with its well-balanced programme of interestingly chosen material makes a good sequel.

Beyond Belief! The best jazz guitarist of the modern age!, 23 May 2006
Yes I know that is a sweeping statement when you think of all the greats of jazz guitar, Reinhardt, Christian, Montgomery, Mclaughlin and Metheny etc etc. BUT this guy is seriously, seriously phenomenal not just in his impeccable technique but also in his melodic precision and harmonic awareness; he's an absolute monster player.The guy just has it all, no wrong notes in there under the guise of "outside" playing; every one of Smith's notes counts, no fillers His chord melody is gorgeous as well!

I am a jazz guitarist and know how hard it is presently even with all the influences we have to listen to, but back in the fifties and with his ability to play perfectly over the changes....Phew! How did he learn the changes so well???

This guy is very respected I know but he deserves much more of a legendary status; I don't understood why Johnny Smith isn't a household name in jazz music along the lines with Wes Montgomery and John Mclaughlin. Nonetheless, A truly gifted virtuoso who was playing faster and more precisely than John Mclaughlin does now, forty years back!!

A master who's been too obscure too long, 21 Feb 2006
Any guitar player who cut his teeth on Hendrix will have to admit that while the bulk of recorded jazz guitar is more melodically and harmonically sophisticated than rock, it's not very exciting; the cutting edge of classic jazz was wielded throughout its history almost entirely by horn players and pianists. There are exceptions, such as Sonny Sharrock, and when you venture out into the wilds of free improvisation there's the late great Derek Bailey. But mainstream jazz guitar has been too often dominated by good taste and facility, rather than creative fire or emotional intensity.

I'd never listened to Johnny Smith before I picked up this set the other day in a bargain shop. He's one of the few "regular" jazz guitarists I can listen to with real pleasure, instead of just baffled respect for technique; his chops are immaculate, as you'd expect from such a studio veteran, but he also has remarkable wit and daring, as well as an emotional directness (almost a down-homeness) that's rare in guitarists playing this kind of thing. I also like the fact that he wrote "Walk, Don't Run". The fact that he seems to be a genuine mensch as well (abandoning his career at its height in order to spend more time with his young daughter after the death of his second wife) is neither here nor there, since nobody said that great musicians have to be nice people, but it does make him look like a strong candidate for a TV movie...

This album is proof to rock fans like me that a classicist doesn't have to be boring. We need more Johnny Smith on disc. He was a great player, one you don't have to pretend to love.

A Welcome Return By The Genius Of Jazz Guitar, 02 Sep 2001
Johnny Smith (born Birmingham, Alabama, USA, 1922) made his big impact on the world of the jazz guitar in the early 1950's with his recording of "Moonlight in Vermont" with the great Stan Getz on tenor saxophone. He went on to produce a classic series of albums on the now-defunct Roost label based in New York, of which this re-issue comprises two. He retired comparatively early from the studio scene, and like Tal Farlow, he became a cult figure because of the fleeting glimpses the musical public had of him, and his recordings became highly collectable items.

Just what did Smith have that distinguished him from others? Though self-taught, he played in virtuoso style, instantly recognisable by his close-harmony chords, where the notes hung together, as someone once said, "like smoke in a crowded room". No electronic gimmicks for him; what you got came straight through the speaker with no frills attached. He made attractive versions of "the standards", always technically exact, but with occasional highly individual runs which moved around beautifully within the chords.

To the general public he was probably best-known in the 1960's for writing the Ventures' classic rock instrumental, "Walk, Don't Run". He was characteristically modest about the song, saying he had cribbed the chord sequence from the old standard, "Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise".

On the first 9 tracks of this CD (the original "Sound Of" Roost LP)he is heard with another jazz virtuoso, Hank Jones, on piano, along with George Duvivier on bass and Ed Shaughnessy, drums. These are obviously all star performers in their own way, familiar and comfortable with one another's style. The album opens up quietly enough with "Come Rain Or Come Shine", but picks up the tempo with "Gypsy In My Soul". Back to skilful slow tempo now with "Embraceable You" and that perennial favourite "Misty", which concluded Side 1 of the original Roost release.

The masterful Smith and his colleagues then swing brightly into "As Long As There's Music", switching back to the quiet mood of Thelonious Monk's classic "'Round Midnight".

Smith's highly individual chord work and trademark runs shine through on the next track, "This Can't Be Love", and Jones is no less distinctive as he slots in his solo.

"Blues Chorale" is a soulful slowie in minor key, creating a nice contrast to the previous song. The unaccompanied guitar masterpiece was another of Smith's hallmarks, and "Prelude", though short, is a typical example.

Tracks 10-20 see a change in sidemen: Bob Pancoast, piano; George Roumanis, bass; and "Mousey" Alexander, drums. These tracks comprised the original "Johnny Smith Plus The Trio" album on Roost.

From the slower tempo standards like "I Got It Bad", "I Can't Get Started", "Over The Rainbow", and "Prelude To A Kiss", to the quicker selections like "Some Of These Days", and "Out Of Nowhere", Smith stamps his own unmistakeable style onto the proceedings, usually stating the basic melody for starters, then gradually giving the piece more colour as he introduces those beautifully-executed runs and tightly-spaced chords. He is generous with his sidemen, giving Pancoast plenty of room to shine, and Alexander virtually gets a drum solo track on "Un Poco Loco". A bright "It's You Or No One" closes out the CD.

This "Two LPs on One CD" format is excellent value for money, especially when you consider the prices that near-mint Roost JS LPs can command. For the completist, there is now the excellent Mosaic box set, but if you don't want to break the bank, you can pick up most of his Roost career in easy stages with the various reissues.

Highly recommended, both for the dedicated Johnny Smith collector and the uncommitted seeker after tasteful, listenable guitar.

A musical converstaion of sublime beauty., 27 Nov 2001
This recording seems to reveal something new to me everytime I listen to it. Halls seemingly effortless flow of beautiful melodic and rhytmic statements are held aloft by Carters impecable time as ideas are tossed playfully from four strings to six and then into the ether, where they hang like organic sculptures to be viewed by whomever has the patience to look a little deeper than surface level. Hall and Carter have opened a portal with this recording, that allows us to view beauty and simplicity previously unavailable in this dimension.

Intermodulation, 17 Nov 2002
The first Evans-Hall duo album, Undercurrent, was too good to be a one-off and so a few years later they made this follow-up. Whether it’s as good as Undercurrent is a matter of opinion. Both artists are in good form, which is recommendation enough. However, there’s a degree less warmth and depth in the recording than on Undercurrent and it may be this that makes the playing on Intermodulation seem a bit more detached and cerebral.
There are good things here, though. I like the oblique approach to ” I Get a Kick out of You”, which begins with a nicely shaped improvised chorus from Hall on the familiar chord sequence and only states the tune directly at the end. Both artists seem to play with more relaxation and assurance at this kind of up-tempo on Intermodulation, although on both albums, most of the pieces are slower-paced. Of the slower pieces, “My Man’s Gone Now” is particularly successful: the sombre, bluesy melody from Porgy and Bess bringing out the more emotive side of their playing. There’s some committed playing on the two ballad originals, although Hall sounds rather tentative, and tonally bland, on Evans’s “Turn Out the Stars”, perhaps because of a lack of familiarity with the piece. Both artists play atmospherically on Hall’s “All Across the City” – as they did, even more impressively on Hall’s “Romain” on Undercurrent.
If you don’t have either of these duo albums, Undercurrent is perhaps the one to try first. Intermodulation, with its well-balanced programme of interestingly chosen material makes a good sequel.

Beyond Belief! The best jazz guitarist of the modern age!, 23 May 2006
Yes I know that is a sweeping statement when you think of all the greats of jazz guitar, Reinhardt, Christian, Montgomery, Mclaughlin and Metheny etc etc. BUT this guy is seriously, seriously phenomenal not just in his impeccable technique but also in his melodic precision and harmonic awareness; he's an absolute monster player.The guy just has it all, no wrong notes in there under the guise of "outside" playing; every one of Smith's notes counts, no fillers His chord melody is gorgeous as well!

I am a jazz guitarist and know how hard it is presently even with all the influences we have to listen to, but back in the fifties and with his ability to play perfectly over the changes....Phew! How did he learn the changes so well???

This guy is very respected I know but he deserves much more of a legendary status; I don't understood why Johnny Smith isn't a household name in jazz music along the lines with Wes Montgomery and John Mclaughlin. Nonetheless, A truly gifted virtuoso who was playing faster and more precisely than John Mclaughlin does now, forty years back!!

A master who's been too obscure too long, 21 Feb 2006
Any guitar player who cut his teeth on Hendrix will have to admit that while the bulk of recorded jazz guitar is more melodically and harmonically sophisticated than rock, it's not very exciting; the cutting edge of classic jazz was wielded throughout its history almost entirely by horn players and pianists. There are exceptions, such as Sonny Sharrock, and when you venture out into the wilds of free improvisation there's the late great Derek Bailey. But mainstream jazz guitar has been too often dominated by good taste and facility, rather than creative fire or emotional intensity.

I'd never listened to Johnny Smith before I picked up this set the other day in a bargain shop. He's one of the few "regular" jazz guitarists I can listen to with real pleasure, instead of just baffled respect for technique; his chops are immaculate, as you'd expect from such a studio veteran, but he also has remarkable wit and daring, as well as an emotional directness (almost a down-homeness) that's rare in guitarists playing this kind of thing. I also like the fact that he wrote "Walk, Don't Run". The fact that he seems to be a genuine mensch as well (abandoning his career at its height in order to spend more time with his young daughter after the death of his second wife) is neither here nor there, since nobody said that great musicians have to be nice people, but it does make him look like a strong candidate for a TV movie...

This album is proof to rock fans like me that a classicist doesn't have to be boring. We need more Johnny Smith on disc. He was a great player, one you don't have to pretend to love.

A Welcome Return By The Genius Of Jazz Guitar, 02 Sep 2001
Johnny Smith (born Birmingham, Alabama, USA, 1922) made his big impact on the world of the jazz guitar in the early 1950's with his recording of "Moonlight in Vermont" with the great Stan Getz on tenor saxophone. He went on to produce a classic series of albums on the now-defunct Roost label based in New York, of which this re-issue comprises two. He retired comparatively early from the studio scene, and like Tal Farlow, he became a cult figure because of the fleeting glimpses the musical public had of him, and his recordings became highly collectable items.

Just what did Smith have that distinguished him from others? Though self-taught, he played in virtuoso style, instantly recognisable by his close-harmony chords, where the notes hung together, as someone once said, "like smoke in a crowded room". No electronic gimmicks for him; what you got came straight through the speaker with no frills attached. He made attractive versions of "the standards", always technically exact, but with occasional highly individual runs which moved around beautifully within the chords.

To the general public he was probably best-known in the 1960's for writing the Ventures' classic rock instrumental, "Walk, Don't Run". He was characteristically modest about the song, saying he had cribbed the chord sequence from the old standard, "Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise".

On the first 9 tracks of this CD (the original "Sound Of" Roost LP)he is heard with another jazz virtuoso, Hank Jones, on piano, along with George Duvivier on bass and Ed Shaughnessy, drums. These are obviously all star performers in their own way, familiar and comfortable with one another's style. The album opens up quietly enough with "Come Rain Or Come Shine", but picks up the tempo with "Gypsy In My Soul". Back to skilful slow tempo now with "Embraceable You" and that perennial favourite "Misty", which concluded Side 1 of the original Roost release.

The masterful Smith and his colleagues then swing brightly into "As Long As There's Music", switching back to the quiet mood of Thelonious Monk's classic "'Round Midnight".

Smith's highly individual chord work and trademark runs shine through on the next track, "This Can't Be Love", and Jones is no less distinctive as he slots in his solo.

"Blues Chorale" is a soulful slowie in minor key, creating a nice contrast to the previous song. The unaccompanied guitar masterpiece was another of Smith's hallmarks, and "Prelude", though short, is a typical example.

Tracks 10-20 see a change in sidemen: Bob Pancoast, piano; George Roumanis, bass; and "Mousey" Alexander, drums. These tracks comprised the original "Johnny Smith Plus The Trio" album on Roost.

From the slower tempo standards like "I Got It Bad", "I Can't Get Started", "Over The Rainbow", and "Prelude To A Kiss", to the quicker selections like "Some Of These Days", and "Out Of Nowhere", Smith stamps his own unmistakeable style onto the proceedings, usually stating the basic melody for starters, then gradually giving the piece more colour as he introduces those beautifully-executed runs and tightly-spaced chords. He is generous with his sidemen, giving Pancoast plenty of room to shine, and Alexander virtually gets a drum solo track on "Un Poco Loco". A bright "It's You Or No One" closes out the CD.

This "Two LPs on One CD" format is excellent value for money, especially when you consider the prices that near-mint Roost JS LPs can command. For the completist, there is now the excellent Mosaic box set, but if you don't want to break the bank, you can pick up most of his Roost career in easy stages with the various reissues.

Highly recommended, both for the dedicated Johnny Smith collector and the uncommitted seeker after tasteful, listenable guitar.

A musical converstaion of sublime beauty., 27 Nov 2001
This recording seems to reveal something new to me everytime I listen to it. Halls seemingly effortless flow of beautiful melodic and rhytmic statements are held aloft by Carters impecable time as ideas are tossed playfully from four strings to six and then into the ether, where they hang like organic sculptures to be viewed by whomever has the patience to look a little deeper than surface level. Hall and Carter have opened a portal with this recording, that allows us to view beauty and simplicity previously unavailable in this dimension.

Beautiful Music, 22 Sep 2008
With the exception of very twee country music and gangster rap I consider myself as having a very wide musical palette (and album collection to match).
Jazz makes up a small % of that collection and though my taste in music is wide and varied, I'm not easily impressed when it comes to 'versions' of music, a track or song whose original is of the highest standard, Concierto De Aranjuez being a case in point.
But I have to say that when I heard the track Concierto de Aranjuez from Jim Hall's 'Concierto' album, (on Classic Jazz FM at two in the morning) not only did it wake me up (in the nicest of ways), but it totally blew me away, it truly is 'Beautiful'. The soloing by Chet Baker and Paul Desmond is of the highest calibre - with their placing an emphasis on less is more.

Also (like most people) I have to really like something these days before I part with my hard earned cash, but upon hearing that track alone - I knew I had to buy the CD.

Having done so, I can wholeheartedly recommend the whole CD to you.

This is the kind of album that can be played whilst enjoying a long luxurious bath, whilst chilling with friends, wine and good food, or in the wee small hours....etc etc Go On Treat Yourself!

An almost perfect example of this style, 19 Feb 2002
This is close to my favourite jazz recording and I often play this the morning after a big party to chill-out before sleep. It is far from experimental, or challenging, but is a supremely relaxed and elegiac piece. The production is beautifully rich sounding like a lost film score, and each solo improves on the last until roland Hannas final piano. I far prefer it to the Miles Davis version.
It will definitely appeal to chill-out DJs and soundtrack fans.