My Funny Valentine
Bill Evans & Jim Hall, 1962, from Undercurrent. Solo by Jim Hall.
On Undercurrent, a fast duo take where Hall's solo and comping trade places constantly with Evans's piano.
On Undercurrent, Bill Evans and Jim Hall take My Funny Valentine at a surprisingly brisk tempo, turning a ballad into a lively duo conversation. With no bass or drums, the two players constantly swap roles: Hall solos while Evans comps, then Hall drops into rhythmic chords as Evans takes over, sometimes mid-phrase. Hall's lines are clean, clipped and rhythmically inventive, and his comping is just as expressive as his solo. The record became a benchmark for guitar-piano interplay. Listen for the moments when it is hard to tell who is leading, as the guitar and piano overlap, echo and push each other forward without ever getting in each other's way.
My Funny Valentine by Bill Evans & Jim Hall is featured in our Jazz (#20) list. The solo is played by Jim Hall and the song was released in 1962.
In our lists
Sources
Who played the guitar solo on My Funny Valentine?
Jim Hall played the solo on Bill Evans & Jim Hall's My Funny Valentine (1962).