ANDREW HILL — Black Fire (review)

Album · 1964 · Post Bop

5/5 · 2011-07-02
Matt

Square peg in a round hole might be the best description for Andrew Hill who in November 1963 recorded his Blue Note debut, "Black Fire" as leader. Andrew had previously recorded one back in Chicago in the late fifties, "So In Love With Andrew Hill" but that disappeared quickly. He also had already recorded on Blue Note as a sideman approximately 1 to 2 months before with Hank Mobley, "No Room For Squares" and Joe Henderson's "Our Thing" with also previous releases prior to Blue Note with Walt Dickerson, Rashaan Roland Kirk and Jimmy Woods from 1962 to 63 but although the piano playing from Andrew was great within all these albums they did not contain his take and vision in the music as Andrew Hill is best playing his compositions with his own arrangements which resulted in his unique take on Jazz. Complex, discordant, idiosyncratic, introspective but all within a controlled manner as everyone in the band had their part to play with the albums construction and execution. Andrew Hill's music is often considered to be Avante Garde but when one takes time to listen his compositions and arrangements which are often layered with each artist having their own space to fill and even when soloing there is usually other input from various band members but all under the control of Andrew's arrangements which is anything but free form. One thing though his music is not exactly Bop of any manner either as he did not play strictly to the usual approach in Bop of solo's that are taken individually in turn but the real difference is his chord patterns which are often unusual with irregular lengths inserted. When this album was recorded back in 1963 Avante Garde was fairly new Jazz for the time which is one of the reasons that he is often catergorized in this format and perhaps rightly so but although he does incorporate elements he seems to straddle somewhere between this and Bop which is where the appeal lays in his music being truly individual and unique.

Joe Henderson who also was a new man at the time is on tenor saxophone and you could not have picked a better man for the job with his high wailing tone that he could play and when one looks back on Joe's career he particapated in so many classic Blue Note sessions and although widely regarded as one the greats at his instrument one often feels he still should have even more recognition for his contribution in so many albums that today are considered Jazz masterpieces with "Idle Moments", "Sidewinder"," Song For My Father","Unity", "The Real McCoy" not to mention an appearance as well on Andrew's fourth Blue Note album, "Point Of Depature" with five of his own during the 4,000 series and another 17 as sideman with Blue Note and that was just the sixties for Joe. Richard Davis is playing bass for the first time with Andrew and this would not be his last with another five albums to come with Andrew Hill during the classic period at Blue Note and he could play any style of music from Avante Garde to Rock as in the future he would be plucking bass on Eric Dolphy's "Out To Lunch" and Bruce Springsteen's "Born To Run". Sometimes through bad luck the result can be the opposite as Philly Joe Jones was going to be doing the drumming but had to cancel due to other commitments with the job going to Roy Haynes instead and no offence to Philly but Roy with his all round experience at this time was a far better match in the albums formation and it does not hurt one bit having played with the likes of Thelonious Monk and Eric Dolphy's "Outward Bound" previously giving him with the the other musicians a grasp and understanding of Andrew Hill's take on Jazz.

"Pumpkin" is where it begins with Roy's cymbals work at the fore with Joe coming in on tenor with the theme and Andrew takes the first solo and listen to how he places those notes with the different timed stretches he inserts within the solo at various point throughout repeatedly with approx 5 to 7 notes as Andrew does not repeat his sequences and constant slight change is always apparent but he is playing his own role within the composition as contrast as well with a great solo from Roy on drums and a ripper as per usual from Joe Henderson on tenor where at the end he returns to the theme within this fairly up tempo composition. The following number is my favourite from the album and listen to Andrew's left hand which is repeatedly playing that theme he wrote whilst the right is soloing with beautiful results but the insertion of that sequence of notes from Andrew's left hand continues right throughout the composition in between Roy's drum solo and Richard Davis's bass bringing to the number a constant grasp of the structure with Joe Henderson not even present at all on this wonderful tune. Joe is back though on the album's title "Black Fire" with another extradonairy contribution but for me I just love Andrew's piano when he follows. Whilst listening to the music one should listen closely to the arrangements which are always beautifully constructed with variety always the key with a mix being often used within the bass and drum solos within the album and things never get boring. "Cantarnos" is Latin flavoured but with a touch of abstract to say the least but never to far out and it is a joy to hear Joe's solo but listen to Andrew in the background with his superb placing and spacing by just dropping in the odd notes and we still have not mentioned the absolute exquisite solo that he follows this up with. The rthymn section always works closely during the album bringing another texture to this beautiful Jazz album and "Tired Trade" which is next is just a trio with Joe omitted on tenor but the typical introspection that an Andrew Hill jazz album must contain would go to the albums second last track "McNeil Island" with Roy Haynes on drums omitted this time with just Andrew's piano, Joe's tenor and Richard on bass for this short dreamy piece. "Land of Nod" is the album's mid tempo closer with that introspection back and more exquisite placing and spacing from Andrew on piano within the tune. There are two alternate takes added to the cd being "Pumpkin" and "Black Fire" which were taken from the same session.

One of the reasons that I am a fan is the reason what do you call Andrew's take on Jazz maybe just original, will have to do. His first Blue Note album and one of his best and if you want something different as well as something that does require you to actually listen closely and work on, you will grow to love this album for simply whatever type of Jazz it is.