“The Music of Andrew Hill”
Andrew Hill Quintet; Nels Cline
Sunday, October 29 • 7pm
$58
$38
$32
$25
"His piano playing is intrinsic to his formidable compositions,
which can be likened to origami." — DownBeat
Program Notes
Andrew Hill’s re-emergence on the jazz scene is one of
the most auspicious stories of this early century. A trailblazing
composer and stately pianist, in the ‘60s Hill created
a series of classic Blue Note albums that bridged the gap between
hard bop and the burgeoning avant-garde. Though the Chicago native
continued to record intermittently throughout the latter third
of the century, it was not until the millennial release of Dusk (selected
as 2000’s best album by both DownBeat and JazzTimes)
and a heavy string of reissues that Hill began to get his due.
In the midst of this latest spate of public acclaim, Hill
suffered a heart attack in 2004, which led to the discovery
of lung cancer. The illness has done little to diminish Hill’s
spirit. In fact, it has had the opposite effect. “It’s
opened me up to the beauty of life instead of all the terrible
preemptive things,” said Hill in a recent DownBeat profile,
a statement that reflects the enduring magic of his music.
Nels
Cline’s new CD New Monastery: A View into the
Music of Andrew Hill, was born of sincere fanaticism
for the man he calls “a living master.” Though
Cline is most widely known for his recent work as a member
of Wilco, he has long been a favorite in adventurous jazz
circles. His work with artists as diverse as Willie Nelson,
Sonic Youth and jazz luminary Charlie Haden (appearing 11/4
with Alice Coltrane), as well as his many projects as a leader,
is characterized by a virtuosic use of effects and blazing
chops.
Andrew Hill’s composition “Bellezza Apposita” was
created with support from Chamber Music America’s New
Works: Creation and Presentation Program, funded through the
generosity of the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation.
Personnel:
Andrew Hill Quintet
- Andrew Hill, piano
- Charles Tolliver, trumpet
- Marty Ehrlich, tenor saxophone
- John Hebert, bass
- Eric McPherson, drums
Nels Cline Group
- Nels Cline, elect.guitar
- Bobby Bradford, cornet
- Ben Goldberg, clarinets
- Andrea Parkins, electric accordion
- Devin Hoff, bass
- Scott Amendola, drums
