Friday, April 27th, 2007 ... 3:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. ... KZSU, 90.1 FM

Minutes after finishing my show on April 20, I learned Andrew Hill had died that day. Naturally, I had to devote a block of time to his music this week, particularly considering the Nels Cline CD of his music is in rotation.

Format:
ARTIST -- "TRACK TITLE" -- ALBUM TITLE (LABEL, YEAR)
Horizontal lines denote microphone breaks.

* William Parker/Hamid Drake -- "First Communion II" -- First Communion/Piercing the Veil (AUM Fidelity, 2006)

Previously noted here.

Previously noted here.

Previously noted here.

Previously noted here.

Previously noted here.

As mentioned previously, we got two Grdina CDs at the same time, from different labels, featuring different facets of his musical personality. There are a couple of tracks duplicated between the two, and I've been itching to air back-to-back versions of one just to show off the contrast. And because I can.

So, here it is. "Albert the Monk" is a pretty easygoing piece, with a kind of chiming, almost Asian theme. In the first case, it gets a flowing, atmospheric treatment, reflecting the decades of work that Peacock and Motian put in at the ECM label.

The second version gets a bit more angular, with more forceful bass and drumming, and a saxophone (for a completely different sound). It's a less polished feel, and while Grdina's solo is adventurous in the first version, he gets more exploratory and avant-garde with his comping in the second. I have to admit to preferring the second version, although the first is quite good and includes some great bass soloing from Peacock.

* Philippe Lauzier, Miles Perkin, Robbie Kuster -- "Broken Glass" -- Today Is a Special Day (Ambiances Magnetiques, 2006)

Previously noted here. This one starts off in a fairly fast-paced mood with some almost ominous bowed bass, a nicely driven feel. Then comes a catchy but slightly sad melody, in an almost three-chord feel. Great piece.

* Create (!) -- "Gutei Holds Up a Finger" -- A Prospect of Freedom (Sounds Are Active, 2006)

Freely improvised jazz from Southern California. Two guitars, clarinet, trumpet, bass, drums. Includes the usual scattershot kind of improv but more often has some great pensive moments with floaty electric guitar (this track is one of the latter camp).

Previously noted here.

From the World music file. Jewish fiddle/violin pieces, fast and maybe a bit too showy. Good stuff.

* Frank Wright -- "Unity, Part 1" [excerpt] -- Unity (ESP-Disk, 2006; orig. released 1974)

Previously noted here.

Andrew Hill -- "Ry Round 1" -- Time Lines (Blue Note, 2006)

Previously noted here. From Andrew's last album; the title track, with its loping, sunny, South African feel, might be more catchy, but this one exhibits more of the complexly knitted rhythms that have always made Andrew's music so ear-catching to me.

Part of the 1960s burst of albums that made Andrew's name. It's a mellow mid/fast piece with a perky Latin feel.

One album we don't have is called From California with Love, from 1978. It's a solo piano release. The noteworthy part is the letter from Andrew that's printed inside the LP's gatefold cover, where he explains the disappointment that came from learning that jazz greatness, especially for an edgy composer, brought "fame and poverty."

It's true of so many of these musicians. A select few get the windfall of a MacArthur grant, but many have to sustain themselves on raw recognition. All the more reason to celebrate the success that came Andrew's way late in his career.

With Andrew on the piano, this is an Andrew Hill composition that leads of this fantastic Hutcherson album (the title track of which is a floating, ethereal, experimental piece). The rhythm here is a lot like (but not identical to) the piano part in "Mira," an off-kilter 8/8 bounce, so I played it here just for kicks.

Andrew Hill -- "Divine Revelation" -- A Beautiful Day (Palmetto, 2002)

Andrew's big band, which not only got to release a CD but did so during a nice run at Birdland, one of the premiere NYC clubs.

Palmetto was the label that brought Andrew Hill back onto disk after something like a 10-year absence, with the album Dusk in 2000. Big karma points for them.

And here's that Dusk album.

The Cline album is previously noted here. Wanted to contrast an Andrew original with Nels' treatment. It's a slow, pretty piece that retains that feel in Nels' hands, with Ben Goldberg's clarinet adding some nice new colors. Then they shift into an aggressive reading of "Pumpkin," definitely a wilder taste.

Andrew Hill -- "Passing Ships"/"Plantation Bag" -- Passing Ships (Blue Note, 2003; recorded 1969)

One of a couple of late-'60s sessions that amazingly went unreleased until the 2000s. Great nonet stuff that drops hints of the big band stuff Andrew would do later.

Andrew Hill -- "Retrospect" -- Verona Rag (Soul Note, 1986)

A good long solo piano piece with a stately air. Very much in the vein of concert-hall jazz. Good stuff, and a nice touching way to reflect on Andrew's passing.

The aforementioned "catchier" tune from Andrew's final album.

* = Item in KZSU rotation
! = Pop anomaly
? = Item not in KZSU library

-- Go back to Memory Select playlists.
-- Bay Area free/improv music calendar: http://www.bayimproviser.com.