Customer Reviews

Smokestack

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Andrew Hill's "Smoke Stack" has been previously available on CD via a Connoisseur series title and a Mosaic Set, but had been out-of-print (and expensive) for many years, until now. With the pianist making a much deserved return to the Blue Note fold with his new "Time Lines" (available 2/21), the label has been making great efforts to put out his back catalog recently -- see my reviews of "Black Fire" and "Judgment!" if you desire. This continues with the reissuing of this December 13, 1963 session, sandwiched between the two aforementioned recordings as all three albums were made over a two-month period! This date features an expanded trio, if you will, of both Richard Davis and Eddie Kahn on bass, and Roy Haynes on drums. This lineup produces intricate, yet subtle modern improvisations, full of varied textures and a surprisingly full sound. There are a lot of similarities between the sound of "Smoke Stack" and Hill's classic "Point of Departure," despite the fact that this disc features no horn or reed players. Like its original CD issues, the RVG "Smoke Stack" contains three alternate takes not on the original vinyl. Those interested in the incredibly original music of Andrew Hill, make sure to pick up this reissue, but also support an artist still making music by buying "Time Lines" next week!

"Smoke Stack" is a wonderful recording by Andrew Hill. What makes this recording particularly intriguing is the double bass lineup of Richard Davis and Eddie Khan. They work really well together to produce a variety of textures by keeping a solid pulse as well as using a bow to great effect, especially on the hauntingly beautiful "Wailing Wall." With two bass players and no horns in the group, the music has a slightly subdued tone. Hill's piano playing is excellent, and the tracks provide solid evidence of Hill's compositional genius. All of Hill's work on Blue Note are "desert island discs" and "Smoke Stack" is one of them.

This Japanese import is a 24 bit remaster by Rudy Van Gelder. For some reason, they have not released this domestically yet, so you have to pay the high import price to obtain it. I wish the Hill 60s Mosaic set were still around, but for unlucky chaps like me who became interested in Hill after it went OOP, we have to pay these insane import prices to get the music. The sound is fairly decent, though in general music sounds far more compressed and processed on CDs whenever it is compared to that on the original vinyl. (Because it is the dominant media--at least until they change it to something else in a couple years--the music industry has to perpetuate the myth that CDs provide the best sound quality available, which is not true. But that is another topic.) This RVG so-called remaster is no exception, but it is worth buying anyway because in addition to presenting the original album, the CD features alternate takes of "Smoke Stack," "The Day After," "Ode to Von," and "Not So."

Recorded on 12/13/63 by Andrew Hill - piano, Richard Davis & Eddie Kahn - basses, Roy Haynes - traps.

I distinctly think some Andrew Hill albums are better than others, and for me this is not one of the best ones. It's not Andrew or the compositions, though. For me, back in this era I feel there were a couple things most bassists (even the best, like Richard Davis) did not do particularly well. One is arco playing and the other is going up into the higher frequencies. It's in evidence here. The higher some bassists go, the worse their touch and intonation becomes. My other main problem with this album is that sometimes I get tired of Roy Haynes almost constantly, lightly skittering and twittering around. Sometimes I want him to seriously lay it down, but he rarely does. In terms of his overall sound or attack here, half the time you could probably convince people he's playing a tambourine if they aren't "music people". Given all the drummers Hill recorded official albums with, I'm of the mindset that none were more perfect for his particular vision(s) than Joe Chambers. I'd have much rather had these same compositions executed by a trio version of this band with Chambers on traps.

Still, this isn't a bad album. It's just not one of his peak albums. I really like most of it, but unlike his best albums where the entire band pulls me in, on Smoke Stack the bulk of my attention is always on Hill's beautiful and inventine piano playing. If you're borderline obsessed with Andrew's music but just haven't had the money or time to pick this one up yet, you'll find his playing to be great here but I don't think you'll consider this one of the best line-ups. If you're mainly curious to hear him without horns but you can only afford one new cd and you don't have Judgment!, I'd get that one. If you're mainly curious to hear something with a 2 basses, 1 drummer line-up, I'd skip this and Conquistador and opt instead for the incredible The All-Star Game (Alan Silva, William Parker - bass, Hamid Drake - drums).

If nothing else, the previous 5-star review and my 3-star review will mix for a 4-star average.

Like McCoy Tyner, Cecil Taylor and Oscar Peterson, Andrew Hill plays the piano as if he has 20 fingers! On this recording he turns a trio into a quartet by having an additional bassist, Eddie Khan, join bassist Richard Davis and drummer Roy Haynes. Here are just some of the words I can think of to describe this music: dense, dark, swirling, complex, moody, angular, and evocative. I bought the original Blue Note LP when it first came out and listening to it as a kid way back then I was reminded of lonely New York City streets on gray rainy days. Listening to it now on CD my feelings haven't changed. No, this music is not for everyone, but it is music that, if it speaks to you, will really, really speak to you!

I don't like to give 5 stars, but considering the unusual format and the overall excellence of the date I will commit to the top rating. Smokestack is one of those fully realized and evocative lines that forms a perfect cycle of tension and release. Richard Davis is the man for the "lead" bass voice and meshes beautifully with Eddie Khan while Roy Haynes weaves a rhythmic web that encompasses, drives and comments on all the players lines.Hill was, as usual, superb creating mosaics of lines the are both freely articulated and architecturally sound at the same time-a hard balance to strike-but something that Hill excelled at. Wailing wall is another wonderful and evocative piece that, with Davis's arco lines, achieves a onomatopoetic effect. Having the solo dialogue at the bottom end with Davis, achieves a unique harmonic and textural effect that emphasizes rhythm and density. A wonderful record that is in my estimation, along with Black fire and Point of Departure, one of the essential of the Hill sixties Blue Note sessions.

Not his best effort, but it still has its appeal. An attempt to straddle the more commercially attractive mainstream and the free jazz that was in vogue at the time. The net result is a somewhat understated recording that lacks a clear direction which is really atypical of Hill's music.

Blue Note/Andrew Hill completists will want to add this to their collection, but for the rest who want representative works by Hill, they're better served by picking up Hill sides like "Point of Departure" or "Judgement". Of course the Rudy Van G remastering is of the highest standard.

One consumer note. Charging nearly $50.00 for a new copy of this CD borders on the obscene insofar as you can still pick up a fresh one at Mosaic for about $13.00---but act soon if you want it! It's being phased out of their catalog.