Andrew Hill - Andrew!!!

mke · March-10th-2006, 04:38 AM

Perhaps the Andrew Hill album with the most cohesive band. It really gives the impression of a band dedicated to playing the composer's music. In that sense, it's as much of a precursor to "Dusk" as "Point of Departure" is.

Joe Chambers's sound and style suit Hill perfectly: he judiciously juggles complex-yet-swinging rhythms and superimposes meters without being at all in-your-face about it, thereby creating a dizzying where-am-I effect (Roy Haynes is great on both "Black Fire" and "Smoke Stack," but is less mysterious). Cf. "Le Serpent Qui Danse." I don't know if it's due to the recording or to the actual playing, but I also find that Chambers's sound meshes much better with Hill's playing than Tony Williams's on PoD (eg. Williams accompanies Hill the same way he does Dolphy on "Refuge" (one of Hill's very best compositions), one guess as to who it works best for).

"The Griots" is a bright tune that belies Hill's reputation as an over-intellectual. Hutcherson adds an appropriate African flavour. "No Doubt" revels in the tender side also displayed on "Judgement!!!"'s "Alfred," and Gilmore turns breathy to suit the intimate mood.

John Gilmore, like Chambers, is a perfect Hill accompanist (and Richard Davis seems to become a better Hill interpreter with every session), treading and blurring the in/out line. His tone is thick and centered on the downcast "Black Monday," edgier and brittle on the agitated "Duplicity."

hearsay · March-14th-2006, 10:53 AM

Yes, this one is great! It may be my favorite.

I was going to say that the band on Black Fire was more cohesive, but I think it's just a little more straight ahead than on this one. ON Andrew!!! the drumming of Chambers gives Davis much more license to be loose. Throw in the added business of Hutcherson and you have a much wilder sound, closer to Smokestack's rhythmic morass.

Gary Sisco · March-14th-2006, 01:47 PM

Shit. I was hoping I wouldn't have to shell out for this one by reading some harsh reviews.... ;-)

John L · March-15th-2006, 05:14 AM

Gary: If you don't have this one yet, better start shelling.

Gary Sisco · March-15th-2006, 08:07 AM

Next month's budget, John. I burn off my budget pretty much right away, each month, both new purchases and emusic downloads, plus I factor in new books if any then as well. It feeds my fix for a few weeks, that way and helps me keep my finger off the trigger for awhile.

mke · March-15th-2006, 09:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hearsay

closer to Smokestack's rhythmic morass.

Maybe in a sense, but I find Chambers's playing, while very complex and cooler (ie. less jubilant) than Haynes's, also very clear, whereas "Smoke Stack" is kind of muddled due to the two basses.

jazzy mary · March-15th-2006, 11:45 AM

Lately, BMG has been offering all these new BN releases and I have bought quite a few in the last few months. I've been a member for awhile, so if I wait for a good deal + no shipping (most important--as the shipping will kill you) I can stock up on albums and they only cost me about $3.00 a piece.

At any rate, I got "Andrew" and "Judgment". I like them both but I think "Judgment" is a much stronger album.

Off the top of my head here are some other nice cds I've picked up for a song from BMG lately--"Bob Brookmeyer & Friends"--tremendous album w/ beautiful arrangments & ensemble playing and very strong Stan Getz. A bonus is Tony Bennett singing the Strayhorn tune "Day Dream" a rarely recorded, yet such a lovely song. Plus he sings the lyric!

Robert Glasper's new album "Canvas"--like it! Nascimento "Courage"--great.

Some cds that I give a "Uh, ok--not great" to : Blakey: Drum Suite (and I ADORE Blakey, Dexter: "Manhattan Symphonie", A Hank Mobley (And I ADORE Hank but I can't remember the title and Horace Silver's "Serenade to a Soul Sister" --ok.

Plus there are a lot of albums I ordered that I haven't even really listened to yet.

Boris Badenov · March-15th-2006, 12:37 PM

jazzy -

I agree with you 100% about the Brookmeyer. It's rilly gud.

hearsay · March-15th-2006, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mke

Maybe in a sense, but I find Chambers's playing, while very complex and cooler (ie. less jubilant) than Haynes's, also very clear, whereas "Smoke Stack" is kind of muddled due to the two basses.

Granted Chambers style is much different, less bop oriented than Haynes, but I'm just speaking of rhythmic density, particularly in the collective approach of Chambers and Davis (loose swing and abstract asides), not timbral/tonal density.

I don't know, maybe not. Certainly very different albums, does anyone know how far apart they were recorded?

mke · March-16th-2006, 05:27 AM

"Smoke Stack" Dec 13, 1963
"Andrew!!!" Jun 25, 1964

hearsay · March-16th-2006, 10:23 AM

Hmm, not that far apart. Was there any others made in between?

mke · March-16th-2006, 10:36 AM

I think "Judgement!!!" and "Point of Departure," which was recorded a month before "Andrew!!!" iirc.

hearsay · March-17th-2006, 10:13 AM

I guess my theory of him being in a similar state of mind is out the window. What an amazingly prolific period, even he already had all the music composed that's a lot to focus on.

mke · March-17th-2006, 10:29 AM

Yeah, that's why I find this period of Hill's (from 63 to 66, ie. everything before "Grass Roots," when the quality of the ensembles diminishes, IMO) so collectable: different ensembles every time with their own strengths and weaknesses and a strong compositional/organisational spirit running through it all.