Andrew Hill - Hommage, Nefertiti, and Blue Black

[fkimbrough]

This may have been discussed here before, but I couldn't find it anywhere....

Test of Time Records has released 3 classic Andrew Hill East Wind recordings from the 70's - they are:

Hommage - solo piano, from mid-1975, beautifully recorded by David Baker - all Hill originals, except Duke's Sophisticated Lady.

Nefertiti - a trio date with Richard Davis and Roger Blank, recorded in 1977.

Blue Black - quartet with Jimmy Vass, Chris White, and Leroy Williams, recorded (also by David Baker) in Feb. 1975.

This is material from what Andrew describes as his "first comeback", and quite different from the Blue Note recordings. The solo Album is beautiful, and I find it especially enlightening to hear Andrew play familiar material (Sophisticated Lady), as it opens a clearer view into his style of improvising. The trio is less well-recorded, but is still essential listening for the die-hard Andrew Hill fan. Richard Davis really stands out - in ways both gratifying and at times unsettling. They play all Hill compositions on the trio and quartet recordings, with one tune (Blue Black) appearing on both. (Edit: just noticing that, though Blue Black appears on both records, on Blue Black, it's a different tune entirely, but One For on Blue Black is the same tune as Blue Black on Nefertiti. Whatever.....maybe they just got the titles switched around, or maybe it's Andrew being his enigmatic self - he loves to retitle tunes.)

I had these recordings on LP, and am glad to say they've all been remastered, and sound great. I don't know how easy they are to find, and I haven't seen much in the way of advertising, but this is their first domestic release (except for Nefertiti, which came out on Inner City(?) in the 70's), and well worth the effort to search for if you're a fan of Andrew's music.

Edited October 11, 2005 by fkimbrough

[Kalo]

Richard Davis always stands out. I'm a big fan of his.

I've had Nefertiti on vinyl for years. It very good, though not great Hill. Well worth it for Hill followers, or Davis fans.

I've been thinking of getting Hommage. You make it sound so good, fk, that I'll have to move it up towards the top of my list.

[P.L.M]

Heard from a friend of HILL, that the man suffer from a lang cancer.

Seems the sickness is well fight until now.

Don't know more.

I'm also a fan of NEFERTITI that I've got on vinyl too.

What's the quality of the remastering on these CDs?

Edited October 11, 2005 by P.L.M

[ep1str0phy]

Lung cancer? Christ. How new is this news? My heart goes out regardless...

On a lighter note, I'm really fond of the Test of Time remasters. The sound is great (I feel), and the level of musicianship is top notch. The cuts here are a lot more tempered than the later-day Blue Notes; Hill is over that part of the hump and ready to dig into some new ideas. The improvisations are characteristically dense, but the themes are far more linear and, perhaps, straightforward. What Hill has abandoned in the way of frenzy he more than compensates for in elegance and touch. Still, Hill's career isn't totally linear--I'm sort of characterizing what's on the albums (I have "Hommage" and "Nefertiti," "Blue Black" on the way). Pairing Hill with RD and Roger Blank (on "Nefertiti") certainly opens things up a bit. The propulsion of the earlier works just isn't here--is it Blank?--but the introspection and sensitivity are pungent. "Hommage" is simply a fine solo piano album and infinitely more interesting than the vast majority of solo sets I've heard--subtle, reflective. On the whole, these are meditative works--brainy (I hestitate to say) as much as emotional. All the better for it.

Edit to say: Produced by David Baker? The David Baker?

Edited October 12, 2005 by ep1str0phy

[Michael Fitzgerald]

Well, THE David Baker the late engineer. Not David N. Baker the composer, educator, author, trombonist, cellist.

Mike

[ep1str0phy]

Well, THE David Baker the late engineer. Not David N. Baker the composer, educator, author, trombonist, cellist.

Mike

←

Blanked on this one... thanks. I was gonna say--an engineer too?!

[Rupertdacat]

All three discs are (or will be) available at Downtown Music Gallery:

http://www.dtmgallery.com/Main/index.htm

Rupe

[Guest akanalog]

is blue black good? this one interests me the most.

is it worth purchasing?

i know vass from a ronnie boykins disc and enjoyed his playing and i always like leroy williams.

and...i always like hill in a quartet.

[B. Goren.]

Please take a look here regarding Nefertiti.

[skeith]

I have had Hommage for some time, but just picked up Blue Black and Nerfertiti.

Have only listened to Nefertiti and must say it is a very good one.

[chuckyd4]

I have seen these in the stores around here, and am looking forward to the right window in my budget when I can spring for them. Slowly gathering a complete collection of the man's work, and these sound like essential additions.

[bertrand]

I confirmed last night that Andrew is indeed ill.

I hope my fellow board members can join me in extending all our best wishes to him in this difficult time.

Bertrand.

[sal]

That is very sad news. He is one of the true geniuses of jazz...here's to his speedy recovery.