Andrew Hill

[JCR1992]

I just bought three Andrew Hill CD's: 

Grass Roots, Change, and Passing Ships. 

I'm looking for which albums I should get next by him. 

I know Point of Depature is widely considered his best and most famous album and I am not that crazy about it. I listened to for the first time when I was 12 years old and now I'm 24 and I like it a little bit more but not enough to buy at the moment. 

 

[jlhoots]

Black Fire

[clifford_thornton]

yeah, I'd agree - Black Fire, then possibly Andrew!!!. 

[B. Clugston]

I spin Judgement, Compulsion and the Blue Note Mosaic Select the most, but you really can't go wrong with any of the Blue Notes.

[BFrank]

"Dusk" (2000) is a pretty good late era, Andrew Hill album.

[sidewinder]

'Dance With Death' and 'Smokestack' shouldn't be missed.

[Homefromtheforest]

Black fire!

[soulpope]

3 hours ago, sidewinder said:

'Dance With Death' and 'Smokestack' shouldn't be missed.

agreed ..... + "Black Fire"  .... and "Our Thing" by Joe Henderson ....

[erwbol]

Black Fire, Andrew!!!, and don't forget Lift Every Voice.

[paul secor]

I'm not a big Andrew Hill fan, so perhaps I shouldn't respond, but if I were to listen to one of his recordings, it would be Judgment.

[JohnS]

All good stuff but the Mosaic Select set includes some great music.

[HutchFan]

5 hours ago, paul secor said:

I'm not a big Andrew Hill fan, so perhaps I shouldn't respond, but if I were to listen to one of his recordings, it would be Judgment.

Judgment would be my choice too.

There's a really wonderful vibraphonist on that record. ...Can't seem to remember his name...  

Edited February 26, 2016 by HutchFan

[BFrank]

6 hours ago, JohnS said:

All good stuff but the Mosaic Select set includes some great music.

Unfortunately, both of them are OOP.

[bluenoter]

I'm adding to the chorus—

 

—and I'm guessing that Passing Ships, one of the new purchases, will be well received.

Edited February 26, 2016 by bluenoter

[clifford_thornton]

I often vacillate between being warm or cool on Hill, but he's nevertheless fascinating even if the questions and emotions posed by/presented in his music aren't necessarily those I can relate to.

[JSngry]

If the OP is perhaps wanting something more "traditional" by Hill, I unhesitatingly recommend Shades on Soul Note. Clifford Jordan, Rufus Reid, & Ben Riley, just a splendid offering in every regard, with the caveat that it might be hard to find these days.

Also, Spiral, his "comeback" album on Arista/Freedom is a blast. Lee Konitz (on soprano, alto and tenor no less) & Robin Kenyatta on the same record! Not at the same time, but that was probably well enough left alone.

[Steve Reynolds]

Judgement is my first choice

then Shades on soul note

[jazzbo]

I'm listening to the SHM-CD of "Lift Every Voice" right now. . .really enjoy this one. When I first heard this one years ago the voices bugged me a bit. Now I love them!

[T.D.]

Agreed on Shades. It's included in the recent 4-disc Black Saint / Soul Note box, which I like but might be a bit much for the OP (also has 2 solo piano discs and a slightly out trio effort). Black Fire was the obvious choice that came to mind.

[JCR1992]

Thank you guys for giving me so many recommendations. I decided to get Black Fire, Judgement, and Pax. Nobody mentioned Pax but I saw Freddie Hubbard and Joe Henderson are on it so it has to be pretty good I would assume. I want to get Dance with Death but I could not find it anywhere for a reasonable price. 

[sidewinder]

'Pax' is damn good - you won't be disappointed. Classic mid-60s forward looking Blue Note date..

[Guy Berger]

16 hours ago, JCR1992 said:

Thank you guys for giving me so many recommendations. I decided to get Black Fire, Judgement, and Pax. Nobody mentioned Pax but I saw Freddie Hubbard and Joe Henderson are on it so it has to be pretty good I would assume. I want to get Dance with Death but I could not find it anywhere for a reasonable price. 

Pax is fine, but it feels like a Blue Note pickup date more than most of Andrew's BN dates.  There are a lot of AH albums I would pick up before this one.

The recommendation of Black Fire is right on.  This is one of the very best AH recordings, period.  I would put Judgment and Andrew!!! (along with Passing Ships, which you have) pretty close in the next tier.  Compulsion is also in that next tier, but it's more firmly in the avant-garde category than the other recordings I'm mentioning - not sure if that is a minus for you as a listener.

As far as post-1970 AH, Shades (w/Clifford Jordan) is a fantastic date, albeit much more straight-ahead than the BN stuff.  And I love Dusk too.

Edited February 27, 2016 by Guy Berger

[sidewinder]

Don't forget 'Eternal Spirit' and 'But Not Farewell' on Blue Note either - two excellent BN comeback recordings.

[StarThrower]

On 2/26/2016 at 5:04 PM, jazzbo said:

I'm listening to the SHM-CD of "Lift Every Voice" right now. . .really enjoy this one. When I first heard this one years ago the voices bugged me a bit. Now I love them!

Vocals still bug me. They don't sound complimentary to my ears. The music is fine.

[jazzbo]

I can understand that, but they really work for me. . . .