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October Conns!


Alexander

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"Andrew!!!"--prime early Hill. In its own way, "Andrew!!!"... Hill's melodies are less memorable than on previous sessions...John Gilmore doesn't have a lot to do here; he gets in a number of good spots, but he's hardly the main attraction.

Cherish this sound--there's only so much of it out there.

Will respectfully disagree on the first two points. Out of all of Hill's first wave of BNs, I find both the melodies and forms (especially the forms) of these pieces to be the most clearly deliniated. Which is not to say that they're "better", just that they "stick" as complete, fully formed entities almost immediately, with little or no need for repeaed listenings to figure out what, in general, is going on technically. I'd even go so far as to say that for the "lay fan", that this is the most "accesible" of Hill's early BN dates.

As for Gilmore, hey - both of his recordings w/Andrew are "desert island" recordings for me. He really brings a special flavor to the music, and his interpretations, in both melody and solos, are as perfect and as organic as any horn player that Hill's ever recorded with, imo. His natural style of fragmented motivic variation is such a perfect conceptual match for Hill's similarly fragmented-yet-together compositional style. I think he really gets inside the music in a way that few, if any, other horn players have.

No disagreement on that third point, though. None whatsoever!

I agree with JSangry's comments on this one and would only add that I think Gilmore solos on every tune and I think his solo space is equivalent to Hill's. He is so great on this album!!

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I picked up the McLean and am about to buy the Andrew Hill today...a quick question:

I went to my vinyl collection at home and looked for "Andrew' - thought I already had.  Rather, I came across Andrew Hill's "Compulsion" album with John Gilmore, et al...a similar line up BUT WITH FREDDIE HUBBARD on trumpet.  Has "Compulsion" been reissued on cd?  Only on Mosaic "Complete Andrew Hill??"

Compulsion hasn't been released on CD in the US except on the Mosaic box. Can't speak to what may or may not have come out on a TOCJ CD in Japan. Seems like just about everything from prime Blue Note era has, though I can't say that for sure (I'm sure someone will either confirm or correct the statement, though!). I really like Gilmore on Compulsion, also love his work on Pete LaRoca's 'Turkish Women at the Bath'. Thank you 32jazz for getting that one out on CD a few years ago!

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"Andrew!!!"--prime early Hill. In its own way, "Andrew!!!"... Hill's melodies are less memorable than on previous sessions...John Gilmore doesn't have a lot to do here; he gets in a number of good spots, but he's hardly the main attraction.

Cherish this sound--there's only so much of it out there.

Will respectfully disagree on the first two points. Out of all of Hill's first wave of BNs, I find both the melodies and forms (especially the forms) of these pieces to be the most clearly deliniated. Which is not to say that they're "better", just that they "stick" as complete, fully formed entities almost immediately, with little or no need for repeaed listenings to figure out what, in general, is going on technically. I'd even go so far as to say that for the "lay fan", that this is the most "accesible" of Hill's early BN dates.

As for Gilmore, hey - both of his recordings w/Andrew are "desert island" recordings for me. He really brings a special flavor to the music, and his interpretations, in both melody and solos, are as perfect and as organic as any horn player that Hill's ever recorded with, imo. His natural style of fragmented motivic variation is such a perfect conceptual match for Hill's similarly fragmented-yet-together compositional style. I think he really gets inside the music in a way that few, if any, other horn players have.

No disagreement on that third point, though. None whatsoever!

You know, I was sort of hasty about the melodies--Hill has this sort of insidiousness about his heads that grabs hard and just doesn't let go. Still--and this may be my ears--"Andrew!!!" sounds a lot more angular than usual... substantially more esoteric than "Black Fire" and at least as impressionistic as "Judgment". The intervals just kill; over the course of Hill's early Blue Note tenure, his heads just got harder and harder to whistle. Listening with the right tools yields ample rewards--and this stuff can stick in your skull--but there's a pretty wide gap between "Land of Nod" and "Le Serpent Qui Danse". That's sort of what I meant by less memorable--just more difficult to grasp. I'm kind of on the same level with the harmonies; there's this sort of "floating" quality to "Andrew!!!" that obscures the form (even if the progressions themselves are quite striking).

On the matter of Gilmore--I've really been disappointed by a lot of his non-Sun Ra output. I'm glad that there's so much love for him out here--and I do enjoy his spots on "Andrew!!!"--but he comes across as... well, if not extraneous, then merely "supplementary". "Turkish Women..." turned me off for the same reasons. I guess you can't expect--nor should you expect--a guy to go apeshit on every session he's on, but Gilmore always sounds underutilized to me. Even on "Andrew!!!", where he's clearly integrated into the whole, the rhythm team is just so tight that Gilmore's kind of there to float on top (like Henderson on Black Fire, but that was sort of a gestative session--even Hill and Davis were just getting together). Love his playing to death, though.

You know, Hill's always been the insider pick for me... I was introduced to the 60's BN's by an old jazzbo--you know, the kind of cat who had simultaneous chats with Oliver Nelson and the NYAQ--and was knocked out at the first bar. Hill is like a rite of passage--when you dig him, you're in in the clique. Nice to see the enthusiasm, all.

Edited by ep1str0phy
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I have 'From Hackensack to Englewood Cliffs' by Ike Quebec and I am curious

why the last 2 tracks on that CD are not on the new double.

These are 'Cry me a River' and "Uptight'

Did they fall outside the remit, was this not a '45 session'

Does anyone have any idea?

Edited by Steve Gray
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Well Steve it's quite simple.....Michael Cuscuna doesn't like them. He considered them for this release but decided against them because he thinks Ike isn't playing as good as he should and the recording itself isn't up to RvG standards as well. These tracks were the first ones recorded in the new Englewood Cliffs studio and he was still experimenting and trying to get his "RvG" sound right in these new premises.

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Richard Davis doesn't get enough credit; he's always been one of the most versatile, reliable bassists in the community, capable of playing even the most complex material with uncanny spirit

You said it! I've been thinking the same thing lately as 'Out to lunch' and 'Judgment' have been in heavy rotation on my player...been really digging Davis :tup

Does he come through clearly on this latest Conn? Some of the remasterings of the early Conns were pretty weak, bass-wise, I thought

Edited by montg
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Richard Davis doesn't get enough credit; he's always been one of the most versatile, reliable bassists in the community, capable of playing even the most complex material with uncanny spirit

You said it! I've been thinking the same thing lately as 'Out to lunch' and 'Judgment' have been in heavy rotation on my player...been really digging Davis :tup

Does he come through clearly on this latest Conn? Some of the remasterings of the early Conns were pretty weak, bass-wise, I thought

He's in there. It's not exactly the "voice of doom" sound found elsewhere (like that "Nefertiti" remaster), but Davis' presence is very much felt. The more recent Conns have had a better sound balance, IMO. Regardless, RD is the kind of cat who can cut through anything--and he's loud and clear here.

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  • 1 month later...
  • 1 month later...

Listenin' to the "Tex Book Tenor" release right now. Been so long since I heard that half of the double lp "Back from the Gig." This is a really good date in my opinion, one of my favorite Bookers with excellent Woody and Kenny Barron. If I toe out my speakers enough the McMaster sound doesn't overwhelm me! :blink:

Still don't like the title though. Sheesh.

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Richard Davis doesn't get enough credit; he's always been one of the most versatile, reliable bassists in the community, capable of playing even the most complex material with uncanny spirit

You said it! I've been thinking the same thing lately as 'Out to lunch' and 'Judgment' have been in heavy rotation on my player...been really digging Davis :tup

He gets a lot of credit from me. I've been a big fan for over 20 years, which is most of the time I've been a jazz listener. Whenever I see his name on an album, I know I'm in for a big treat.

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  • 2 months later...

"Andrew!!!"--prime early Hill. In its own way, "Andrew!!!" is on par with "Point of Departure," "Judgment," "Black Fire" and the ilk. Despite the matching rhythm sections, this is nothing like "Dialogue". If it weren't for Joe Chambers--much less combustible, a little more "brainy" than Elvin Jones--I'd say that this was "Judgment" Pt. 2. Hill's melodies are less memorable than on previous sessions, but the group dynamic is simply stunning. The boys just take it somewhere else on this one. There's urgency, danger in the grooves. The rhythm section is just so tight that... well, it's heavy--not just "wow that's deep heavy"... Led Zeppelin heavy.

Just listened to this for the first time last night. Chambers does amazing stuff here.

The combination of the compositions, Andrew's piano and Bobby's vibes reminds me of Monk's sessions with Milt Jackson, updated for the 60s.

I can't wait for Involution, Compulsion and Pax to be released!!!

Guy

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Coulda swore I'd commented about these at some point, but I guess not.

Suffice to say, the McLean is absolutely essential!!! Amazing this didn't get released when it was recorded, as the playing is so strong! This is a perfect bike-riding album!

The Ervin was a wonderful surprise, but then I guess it shouldn't've been, seein's how Billy Higgins is on the date! I love to listen to this disc in the kitchen!

Haven't gotten Andrew!!! yet; not sure if I wanna upgrade from the Mosaic or not.

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