Guitar legend Jim Hall auditions for Merv (Merv Griffin Show 1965) 

Anything Jim Hall played in any situation is pure gold. ❤️

The Bass player is Dr. Art Davis. Art passed away in 2007 and was a personal friend of mine. I taught with him at Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa where he taught a Jazz history class. I also recorded a recorded a record with him titled "That Goes to Show Ya.

The absolutely marvelous amount of beauty of Jim's solo truly takes my breath away.... a short solo in such an uninspiring situation but, still, he just makes elevates the music to the highest of levels in a few bars.This is amazing. Thanks for sharing.

So cool to see Jim Hall in the early days. A true master Jazz Guitarist! RIP Jim!

Jim Hall - the Master of introspection, understated phrasing that sneaks up on the listener and a unique sense of swing and breathing. I got hooked back in the 70's when I discovered Alone Together and Undercurrent-----the MASTER!!!

Merv had a fantastic show… those were wonderful days and incredible talents

This is awkward, but Merv was a great host, actually listened to his guests and had a real conversation with them. I really miss those old talk shows. Nothing today compares.

Jesus, what a great find. Hall, of course, had a long, illustrative career as a jazz musician. He really was one of the classiest and most intelligent guitarists. And Merv was no slouch on that stride-style solo he takes on “They Can’t Take that Away from Me.”

Wow, Jim Hall "auditioning" for Merv Griffin!!! This really cracked me up. Of course its a mock audition. He does his best Freddie Green impersonation followed by a short solo on "They Can't Take That Away From Me." Jim's time on Merv Griffin is a little like his "lost years." I'm glad to finally see something from the time he spent on TV. I've read, however, that his biggest recollection from the time period was sitting around and waiting. Thanks again for posting this.

I can't even look at a still picture of Merv Griffin without cringing. Couldn't stand him back in the day and the years haven't smoothed anything over.

GREAT!!!!! Thanks for supporting Jazz and Jim!!

I dig this guy's playing the most!

Wow, I'm a huge Jim Hall fan. This was amazing. I've never heard of this footage. Thanks for posting.

Amazing how this stuff is available

Wow that was really entertaining! Merv yucking it up with Jim Hall. I had no idea Merv could play like that. They sounded great!

What a wonderful treat!

No problem Jim, Merv loved himself so much he only had ears for him

Fantastic!

Thank You for posting this ........Alt. spelling "Gem Hall" R.I.P.

Wow i love this rare gem !!

yes, the great Jim Hall!

RIP Jim Hall

I imagine jim would like to have crowned merv griffin with his guitar upside the head

i think i remember a quote by jim saying something like "i didn't play a note of music the entire time i was with merv griffin"! haha. RIP master!

I love Jim Hall!

Bravo Jim !!

they can't take that away from me, by the Gershwins (1937)

I remember my grandparents watching his show when I was a kid. I had no idea what a character he was.

If this wasn't planned in advance, I'd be mighty surprised.

Why not release these segments on DVD? This show what a great entertainer Merv Griffin was.

Wow--a master being auditioned by a hack. Hall had already done classic recordings with Paul Desmond and what humility guys like Jim Hall must have had to had to get through situations like that. Sure, Merv had some "chops" but he sounds like a loud drunk on the keys. RIP Jim.

What I would give for a jazz guitar mentorship with Jim.

As a kid growing up in the 1970's I always thought of Merv Griffin as a boring stuffed shirt. But in this early clip Merv performs the type of zany antics that Conan got so much mileage from so many years later. I'm not at all surprised to see that Merv could play the piano at a journeyman level. He belonged to a time when show biz pros were routinely able to competently sing, dance, play one or more instruments, do comedy, drama, etc. Nobody got away with being a one trick pony or a one hit wonder. And during that same era, those studio bands for the talk shows offered the security of steady employment to musicians who otherwise lived precariously from gig to gig.

jim hall the best

Yes he did.

Never knew Merv played, and well too.

Merv was a goof!!

cool

Anybody know what tune this was?

Merv was talented and funny

Merv..for some odd reason...keeps repeating the intro section of the verses before heading into the tune....Jim Hall rescues this like the master musician that he was!

It's a string dampner. They were all the rage for awhile back in the day.

This is hilarious seeing Merv fucking with Jim. He should've said "You're no Bill Evans but you're doing good too"

What did Jim have under the strings at the first fret? It looks like an alternate nut.

Oh, c'mon man. He's kidding around. Have a sense of humour.

Does anybody know who the rest of the band (bass & drums) is on this video?

Didn't Herb Ellis occupy that chair for awhile?

Screw Merv Jim Hall rules!

Looks like a Gibson ES-175, a relatively modest guitar for a jazz great -- but, boy, could he play it!

Hall once called the show's music dreadful. However the show's music library was top-heavy with jazz charts with lots of improv room. Mort Lindsey also slotted feature numbers on every show for a soloist in a quartet setting letting the soloist choose their own material-something Hall would never have found on any other talk show. Merv's who's Jim Hall routine was staged. Despite Hall's dismissive and malcontent attitude, he stayed with the show for 5 years until it moved West.

One of them has the “touch of a blacksmith.” For a time, Hall played in Griffin’s band. I gather it was not something he enjoyed, a low point. Bob Brookmeyer was in the band, may have recruited his friend and colleague. Brookmeyer, less reserved, called being in the band “the worst thing I ever did in my life.” www.jazzwax.com/2009/06/interview-bob-brookmeyer-part-4.html. You can see why.

Who are those guys around Jim Hall? 🙂

Can anyone tell me what this standard is? If it's a standard? It's beautiful!

Well good old Jim put Merv in his place.Trying to show up Jim Hall. lousy piano player just hacked at the keys. 'Les Dawson' does a good take on his technique as he would see this often in clubs during the 50s 60s the difference was Les. Dawson [a comedian] could actually play the piano and developed the awful technique of playing two keys at one time on the piano. Have a look! it reminds me Merv's playing.

Jim was being a good sport at first but you can see the blood drawing out of his face as the skit went on.

Merv was a weird host

*Now we know where Marty Friedman got his distinctive picking technique...*

"The little theater off of Times Square..." (...which was right next door to Sardi's...) For three years in the late '60's, this show, with Merv, Mort, and Arthur Treacher, was my daily dose of life and culture outside of my own hometown growing up (which I loved, and still do), Wheeling, WV. Griffin was not a funnier host than Carson, nor a more intellectual host than Cavett... ...but the breadth of his talents may have exceeded either of theirs... ...and aren't those of us, of a certain age, fortunate to have experienced the embarrassment-of-riches, the dilemma of who to watch, for a few years, between those three?

Snoop Dogg on upright bass

Who knew the accountant could play?

There's nothing worse anyone can do than tell a jazz artist to "do it". Improvisation is felt and nurtured not demanded on the spot. Merv needed to just SHUT UP.

Snoop Dogg's dad on bass...

Robert Conti kicks his ass.

... I smell *revenue stream* !!!

2:05 to skip the BS.

I miss Merv he was just having some fun with Jim . Merv was world class. Jim Hall even though I admire his musicianship puts me to sleep. Love pat metheny but maybe Jim was just off my radar.May he rest in peace. I guess Jim played that cuddle up lounge kinda of stuff.

Great to see Jim Hall but that was cringeworthy. I felt sorry for Jim

It was good of Mr. Hall to play along. Awful lot of talent for a talk/variety show, but I guess it helped fir when there was singing. (And Mr. Griffin is no slouch on the piano either.)

Merv, a disgrace.

Something a bit nauseating about this. Asking if he can play in Eb then starting in C in front of a tv camera and audience was not funny. Media presenters often were and sometimes still are talentless ass holes. Jim Hall was one of the absolute best jazz players IMO.

Merv Griffin is so condescending, patronizing and annoying in this "audition" !

merv was gay so maybe that explains it