Collection: Edmond Hall

Edmond Hall was an American jazz clarinetist and bandleader known for his exuberant, rough-edged solos and extensive work with many leading performers. Born May 15, 1901 in Reserve, Louisiana, about 40 miles west of New Orleans, he grew up in a musical family where his father Edward Hall played clarinet in the Onward Brass Band. Initially taught guitar by his uncle, Hall learned clarinet so quickly that his brother recalled he could play it within a week. He is best known for the 1941 chamber jazz song 'Profoundly Blue', regarded as a classic of pre-World War II jazz.

Hall moved to New York in 1928 and became a member of the Claude Hopkins orchestra until 1935. He worked extensively at Café Society from 1940, leading his own groups and recording prolifically for Blue Note and Commodore. His recordings from this period included sessions with Charlie Christian, Billie Holiday, Lester Young, Teddy Wilson and Henry "Red" Allen. In 1955, he joined Louis Armstrong's All-Stars, remaining with the group for three years. Hall died on February 11, 1967 in Boston at age 65, leaving behind a legacy as one of jazz's most exciting and distinctive clarinetists.