Some Andrew Hill

I go back from time to time to Andrew Hill.  His marvelous work for Blue Note ought to be part of any jazz collector's treasure chest.  Today I acquired Pax, a fine set with the following lineup:

• Bass – Richard Davis (2)
• Cornet – Freddie Hubbard
• Drums – Joe Chambers
• Piano, Composed By – Andrew Hill
• Tenor Saxophone – Joe Henderson

 Anything with Joe Henderson and Freddie Hubbard on it is worth a listen.  There is a serious intensity to pretty much every note that Hill plays.  He insists on directing your attention to the narrative.  Everything here is good.  I am playing 'Calliope' and 'Eris'. 

I am also playing 'Refuge' from Hill's magnum opus, Point of Departure.  This ranks as one of the most important jazz recordings.  Here is the lineup:

• Alto Saxophone, Flute, Bass Clarinet – Eric Dolphy
• Bass – Richard Davis (2)
• Drums – Tony Williams*
• Piano, Written-By – Andrew Hill
• Tenor Saxophone – Joe Henderson
• Trumpet – Kenny Dorham

 Those are the usual suspects, along with Eric Dolphy and Tony Williams, two heroic geniuses plucked from the board obscenely early by jealous gods. 

Sam Rivers 1923-2011

Sam Rivers passed away just one day after Christmas.  I wasn't aware of this until I noticed the tribute show to Rivers at In the Groove: Jazz and Beyond, hosted by my friend and jazz hero, Ken Laster.  I already had  a good serving of Rivers on my Live365 station.  I have substituted a couple of new cuts. 

One is the title cut from Fuchsia Swing Song (1965).  I believe that this was Rivers' first recording as leader.  Here is the lineup, from Discogs:

• Bass – Ron Carter
• Drums – Anthony Williams
• Piano – Jaki Byard
• Tenor Saxophone – Sam Rivers

A second cut I am playing is 'Surge' from Waves (1979).   This is all out free jazz: every kind of energy pushing out from the inner structure of the music with only a hint of narrative. 

• Bass, Cello – Dave Holland
• Drums, Percussion – Thurman Barker
• Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Flute, Piano – Sam Rivers
• Tuba, Horn [Baritone] – Joe Daley

It's a pretty good example of River's long association with Dave Holland.   I am also featuring 'Ghetto Lights', from Bobby Hutcherson's superb Dialogue (1965). Don't miss Freddie Hubbard's toe curling blues. 

• Bass – Richard Davis (2)
• Drums – Joe Chambers
• Piano – Andrew Hill
• Tenor And Soprano Saxophone, Bass Clarinet, Flute – Sam Rivers
• Trumpet – Freddie Hubbard
• Vibraphone, Marimba – Bobby Hutcherson

River's was twenty-four karat.  He manages to show up on a lot of very basic jazz for several decades.  I only recently fell in love with his opera. 

Last, but not least, here is a beautiful clip of Rivers and Holland playing in Germany in 1979.  Enjoy:

Bobby Hutcherson on Blue Note pt. 1

I have had very little time for this blog over the last few months and I confess that I have not really found a satisfying way to combine it with my Live365 site.  This was a lot more fun when I was posting links directly to sample cuts, but that was more risk that I was willing to continue taking. 

The original purpose of the blog was to share my love of jazz collecting, so I am going to try to return to that purpose.  Who knows?  Perhaps I can draw some audience back.  

I have been rounding out my collection of vibe man Bobby Hutcherson recordings.  In the mid '60's, Hutcherson did a series of recordings for Blue Note that ought to be in anyone's jazz library.  Here is a list of these recordings with some notes.  

1. The Kicker (63)  Joe Henderson (ts); Duke Pearson (p); Grant Green (g); Bob Cranshaw (b); Al Harewood (d).  This might as well have been marketed as a Henderson album.  Maybe then Blue Note wouldn't have kept it in the vaults for more than thirty years (1999)!  It is a rock solid hard bop date, with fine displays by Henderson and Hutcherson and Pearson.  Kicker* may be heard on my Live365 site.  
2. Dialogue (65) Freddie Hubbard (t); Sam Rivers (ss, ts, f); Andrew Hill (p); Richard Davis (b); Joe Chambers (d).  Likewise, this might have been marketed as an Andrew Hill recording, as the pianist composed three of the cuts and it has a very topography.  This is Hutcherson's most interesting and inventive recording.  It invites obvious comparison with two very great recordings.  Hill's Andrew!!! has the same Hill-Davis-Chambers rhythm section.  Hutcherson, Hubbard, and Davis appeared on Eric Dolphy's earth shaking recording, Out To Lunch.  Hill's 'Les Noirs Marchant' could easily have fit on that album.

Don't misinterpret my remarks about marketing.  These are both Hutcherson recordings.  If his subsequent Blue Note recordings were less adventurous than Dialogue, they are nonetheless squarely on the path of the new thing.   In pt. 2, I'll cover Happenings, Stick Up, and Oblique. 

ps.  I have relied heavily on A Bobby Hutcherson Web Site.  What a resource!  Would that every jazz artist had this kind of attention paid to him or her. 

Andrew Hill and the Penguin Guide Lists

I chanced upon a some jazz lists this afternoon, and that put me back in that classical mood.  First there is the Jazz Calendar Page.  Did you know that today is Charlie Christian's 94th birthday?  Happy Birthday, Charlie, in that great jazz club in the sky.  

Better yet, here is a site that presents all the four star rankings from the Penguin Guide to Jazz (may it be praised).  I have relied heavily upon the Penguin Guide in my collecting, and I think it is the only standard for collectors.  This stalwart soul lists all the albums that have received a four star ranking in any of the nine editions of the Guide.  He also notes those that got a crown (author's favorite) and those that get a "core collection" rating.  I have almost all of the core entries from my well worn Eighth Edition.  If you are collecting, get the most recent Guide.  The reviews are very helpful.  Either way, download the lists from this site linked above.  It is very helpful.

For example: I noticed a recording by Andrew Hill from the Ninth Edition that I didn't know about.  I am waiting for the 10th!  So I downloaded it from Amazon for a cool seven smackers.  Hill is one of those artists I first approached because of the PG.  His Point of Departure is one of the greatest jazz recordings, IMHO.  Nearly as good is Andrew!  Both make the PG core.  

Dance with Death (a 2004 reissue of a 1968 recording) isn't in that circle of heaven, but it is quite good.  The song titles, like the album title, remind one of Wayne Shorter's great spooky albums.  Unlike Shorter's works, the music isn't really very spooky in feel. That's okay.  If you like Hill, you will like this one. Here is the lineup, from the AllAboutJazz review:

Personnel: Charles Tolliver (trumpet), Joe Farrell (tenor sax, soprano sax), Andrew Hill (piano), Victor Sproles (bass), Billy Higgins (drums)

And here is a sample, excerpted from the first cut.  

Andrew Hill/Yellow Violet/Dance with Death

 Even the flower thing reminds me of Shorter.  Tolliver's trumpet is exquisite.  Put this one on your Christmas List.  

Meanwhile I am contemplating a list of the Top Ten Jazz Men (1950-1965).  I am thinking about artists who are stand out in fame and impact on the music.  Okay, Miles and Trane are going numbers one and two.  If you have any ideas, let me know.