Blue Black

Andrew Hill | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 4, 2005)
• Original Release Date: 2005
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Test of Time Records
• ASIN: B000AMU0YE
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #249,151 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Blue Black, September 9, 2008

By 

Stuart Jefferson (San Diego,Ca) - See all my reviews
(TOP 100 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Blue Black (Audio CD)

One disc 37 min. approximately,remastered sound. Recorded in 1975 this album consists of five Hill originals. Besides Hill,it features Jimmy Vass on alto and soprano saxes and flute,Chris White on bass,and Leroy Williams on drums. This music is a combination of Hill's style of composition-placing a few discordant notes in a slightly straight ahead setting. The music seems to flow out of the musicians in an intelligent yet effortless way. The compositions are well thought out and it shows.

This is music that everyone can enjoy-it's not to "outside",but has enough of Hill's way of playing certain clusters of notes that seems to grab ahold of the listener and drag him in. As usual with Hill,the horn player and the drummer play an important role on these tracks. The bass is underneath the ensemble,holding everything together,which with Hill's music is very important. Both the horn and the drums are up-front with Hill,and together they weave a beautiful tapestry of sound. The compositions are all similar and together they create a very satisfying whole. The tracks are all medium-fast in tempo,which constantly moves from dense moments of sound,to an open feeling that gives the listener the chance to interpret and enjoy this great music.

For fans of Hill-this would be a great purchase. For fans of more straight ahead piano/quartet jazz,don't be afraid of Hill's reputation(not justly deserved)of hearing music so dense that it can't be followed. This is good music that even today sounds contemporary,and should be placed alongside Hill's work for Blue Note as some of his best.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Unheralded Andrew Hill, June 26, 2009

By 

Anthony Cooper (Louisville, KY United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Blue Black (Audio CD)

Andrew Hill had a string of excellent well-known discs from 1963 to 1965, then his discography seems to get quiet for a while. In 1975 Hill recorded with little-known Jimmy Vass on sax, Chris White on bass, and Leroy Williams on drums. The strength of this disc is in its writing, and the band simply does a good job on five memorable songs. Andrew Hill fans should definitely get this - it's nearly as good as discs like "Point Of Departure" - and it's not a bad place to start with Andrew Hill, either. This disc may simply be unheralded because it's a 70's disc with a very 60's sound.