Happy Birthday Andrew Hill!

[Late]

Andrew Hill would have been 77 today. I started my morning by listening to "Morning Flower" from Invitation on Steeplechase. I'd forgotten how good that album is. Was that Andrew's working trio of the time?

[Late]

"Andrew and I knew each other as kids coming up in Chicago. We are about the same age and we grew up relatively near each other on the South Side. I lived on 47th Street and he lived somewhere in the 30s. He got me one of my first gigs in 1949, maybe 1950 – a duo, piano and bass. It was at a club in some strange neighborhood, I think on the West Side. We started at 10:00. Around 3:00, I asked, “What time are we finished?” And he said, “Whenever they tell us we can go home.” I didn’t realize it until then, but we were working for the Mafia. So, when Andrew wasn’t looking, and the Mafia owners weren’t looking, I took my bass and the cover – I didn’t even put it on the bass – and took it out to my car. I told Andrew, “Never call me again. I can’t work like this.” Fortunately, he didn’t listen to me, because he called me for his next gig.

We soon went our separate ways and we didn’t play together until the ‘60s, when we made those recordings, but I didn’t work with him at any clubs then. The only time I worked with him in a club was about five years ago, I think at The Jazz Standard. The records were the first time I played his compositions. I found them to be very, very free, in the sense that I could just about play anything that came to my imagination. It was very open and complex at the same time, I would say, but it was very easy for me to play. I was very comfortable with what some would call the difficult parts of Andrew’s music, the unique ways he put things together. Every time we played one of his pieces it would be different, so sometimes hearing them later was a little strange. I wish I could remember which album it was, but I heard this record on the radio, and the bass player was really good. “Wow. That guy is terrific,” I thought. I had never heard anybody play bass like that. So, when the record was over, the DJ announced who it was. It was Andrew Hill, with Richard Davis on bass. Andrew later told me which record it was and I took it out and played it. I thought that was funny. That could only happen with Andrew.

I think Andrew was really a unique composer and performer. I don’t think anyone could ever copy what he was doing."

Richard Davis

from Point of Departure, an online journal

[AndrewHill]

Thanks for posting that. Andrew and Richard were a brilliant team. His BN output, for me, is one of the greatest recorded bodies of work. Just amazing stuff.

[sidewinder]

I was listening to Andrew on Joe Henderson's 'Our Thing' last night, marvelling at his contribution to the album and thinking how much he is missed.

[Tom Storer]

By chance I was just listening to "Time Lines" earlier. What a great album.

[gslade]

Putting on some Hill right now

and Happy Birthday to Late!!!

:party: :party:

[Late]

Putting on some Hill right now

and Happy Birthday to Late!!!

:party: :party:

Hey, thank you fellow (if I remember correctly) Oregon poster! What Andrew did you spin?

Just out of curiosity — what would you guys consider the most "obscure" or least-known Hill?

[gslade]

roasting down here in Medford

but listening to Shades, Eternal Spirits on the Que and Then some live stuff latter this evening

[AndrewHill]

[quote name='Late' date='Jun 30 2008, 07:06 PM' post='803994'

Just out of curiosity — what would you guys consider the most "obscure" or least-known Hill?

[Chuck Nessa]

Just out of curiosity — what would you guys consider the most "obscure" or least-known Hill?

The four Ping sides.

[AndrewHill]

Just out of curiosity — what would you guys consider the most "obscure" or least-known Hill?

The four Ping sides.

Any details about dates, sidemen etc?

[Chuck Nessa]

Just out of curiosity — what would you guys consider the most "obscure" or least-known Hill?

The four Ping sides.

Any details about dates, sidemen etc?

Andrew Hill - piano and organ

Von Freeman (ts) Pat Patrick (bar) Malachi Favors (b) Wilbur Campbell (d)

Chicago, October 1956

Dot - Ping 1002 - piano, bass, drums

Mal's Blues - same

Down Pat - Ping 1003 - Hill plays organ - add horns

After dark - same

Details available HERE

Edited July 1, 2008 by Chuck Nessa

[AndrewHill]

WOOOAH! Thanks for posting that website page Chuck! There's a lot of interesting information there. So, with 8 cuts by Hill, wouldn't that make a nice single cd!!! Nice newpaper clipping of a very young Hill and Favors too! So what's the story with Ping now? Anyone own the material and can put this stuff out?

[WorldB3]

By chance I was just listening to "Time Lines" earlier. What a great album.

I agree, fantastic record. The first time I heard the solo piano version of Malachi I wept.

In fact Andrew was the only Jazz artist to ever make me cry. The other time was the during the first listen of Kenny Dorham's solo on Dedication off of Point Of Departure and unfortunately the last time was right after his stellar performance at the SF Jazz festival just a few months before his passing. With his voice just above a rasp after his throat surgery he introduced the band and then alone on stage he took a bow holding his book of scores and walked off.

At least we have all of his great recordings.

[Guy Berger]

I didn't know the guy personally, but I miss him. A real loss.

My most recent AH listening was Reggie Workman's Summit Conference. The last tune was composed by Andrew and it is absolutely beautiful. Absolutely.