Jazz guitarist Jim Hall dead at 83

Jim Hall, one of the leading jazz guitarists of the modern era, whose subtle technique, lyrical sound and introspective approach strongly influenced younger proteges such as Pat Metheny and Bill Frisell, died Tuesday at age 83, his wife said.

Hall died in his sleep after a short illness at his Greenwich Village apartment in Manhattan, said Jane Hall, his wife of 48 years who described her husband as "truly beloved by everybody who ever met him."

Hall, who led his own trio since the mid-1960s, remained active until shortly before his death. Last month, his trio performed a concert at Jazz at Lincoln Center's Allen Room with guest guitarists John Abercrombie and Peter Bernstein.

In 2004, Hall became the first of the modern jazz guitarists to be named a National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master, the nation's highest jazz honor.

"Jim was one of the most important improvising guitarists in jazz history. His musical generosity was an exact reflection of his deep humanity," guitarist Metheny, who performed and recorded in a duo with Hall, said in an email to The Associated Press.

In the mid-1950s, as a member of pianist Jimmy Giuffre's innovative trio and drummer Chico Hamilton's chamber jazz quartet, Hall transformed the role of the guitar in jazz with his understated melodic and minimalist approach.

The guitarist was known for his duo and small group recordings with some of the greatest names in jazz during the past 60 years, including saxophonists Sonny Rollins and Gerry Mulligan, pianist Bill Evans, bassist Red Mitchell and singer Ella Fitzgerald.

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Hall was born Dec. 4, 1930, in Buffalo, N.Y., and his family later moved to Cleveland. He picked up the guitar at 10, and became interested in jazz at 13 when he went to the store to buy a Benny Goodman record and first heard Charlie Christian playing guitar on the tune "Grand Slam." "I was awestruck at his choice of notes and the space that he left," Hall told the NEA.

After graduating from the Cleveland Institute of Music, Hall moved to Los Angeles where he became a charter member of Hamilton's quintet, which was among the originators of the laid-back West Coast cool style, and later joined Giuffre's trio.

His first album as a leader was the 1957 session "Jazz Guitar" for Pacific Jazz.

Earlier this year, he released several CDs of live recordings from his combo's sessions at New York's Birdland jazz club on ArtistShare, a platform that allows fans to finance recordings.

Hall is survived by his wife and his daughter and manager, Devra Hall Levy.