ANDREW HILL

Here is a poem that didn’t make the cut for my upcoming book. It just felt a little too obscure, but I still love it… and thats what blogs are for, the things that are not good enough for books.

The poem is based on this excerpt from the liner notes to Andrew Hill’s album point of departure.

“For the past year or so, Hill has not listend to jazz on the radio and he has retired his record player for the time being. “in listening to other people” Hill explains, “you absorb their thoughts, however unconsciously, and as I said, right now I have to concentrate on finding my own way””

I thought this was a really interesting, both for its musical implications, but even more so for every thing else in life. Its this idea that we are influenced by all the things we surround our selfs with, wether we want it to or not. This awareness brings a greater level of intentionality to what we let in our world.

Andrew Hill said

His record player is sleeping for now

Because he is building

his own world

And he knew

What you let in

Will change you

And start to build its own world

Inside of you

He didn’t trust his ability

To control a constricted sponge

In water

He didn’t trust his ability

To control an ocean storm

So he did his best

To navigate it

Every thing you let in

Will change you

Every thing has a cost

Every thing will take something from you

So he stayed home

With his books

with his piano and tape recorder

Alone

Suggested listening (Andrew Hill Albums)

Point of Departure

Dance With Death

Black Fire

Passing Ships

DUKE ELLINGTON VS. AARON COPLAND

I’ll just let you know now, Duke Ellington wins, and here is why

America was and continues to have an identity crisis when it comes to classical music. The tension is between mimicking European practices and creating something that is authentically American and different. For a long time most of Americas out put was the first option. Composers went to Europe for training (or we brought the European teacher over here) creating a steady stream of music that was essentially European in its DNA.

Enter Aaron Copland.

Our first world class composer, who is created with creating our first American sound in classical music.

The problem is Copland made his American sound the European way. The way any European could have if they had chosen his particular American topic.

step 1:Pick an American theme (in this case cowboys)

step 2: Go get a book of cowboy melodies

step 3: Insert them into your symphonic work.

Though I love Copland I feel like his music is a bit costume-y. It dosent feel like it is a music that bubbles out of the ground of our continent. Its like he created this mythic American sound which he, nor many Americans (especially the ones listening to his music) really had experienced.

Enter Duke Ellington.

Though not strictly classical it is symphonic, highly organized, and harmonically advanced. This sounds like us. This is music that could not have be written in any other place in the world. This is American finding its musical identity. Here are several of the things that sets his music apart, and gives it that American sheen. Firstly he did not receive a classical European education, secondly he created a completely novel blend of written and improvised music, Third he created a new orchestral sound with his heavy use of brass and brilliant orchestration, and lastly a new rhythmic feel of syncopation and propulsion which are simply irresistible.

Duke Ellington Suggested Listening

Masterworks

Live at Newport

Blues in Orbit

Mood Indigos

Aaron Copland Suggested Listening

Appalachian Spring

Short Symphony

El Salon Mexico

WAYNE SHORTER HAS DIED

Wayne Shorter is one of my favorite musicians of all time, and last week at the age of 89 he passed away. For me his genius resides in the compositions he wrote, and I would put him up as one of Americas greatest composers. He seemed to have had an uncanny ability to blend a variety of elements, and musical influences in and out of jazz, to create something totally new and fresh. He had assimilated the language of bebop, hard bop, modal, and avant-garde, then added a delicious spice of classical technics. He loved the music of Stravinsky, which he had throughly studied while getting his music degree. I hear the influence of this in the way he crafted melodies that expanded and contracted (like in the songs etc. and pinocchio). All this went together to make an extremely rich and fresh musical experience.

Personally I have been hugely influenced by his harmonic language. He seemed to create this non-tonal string of chords that sound amazing and totally logical. Which if you start to study them you realize they are logical, just not the normal, all in the same key, type of logic. On top of his albums as a leader for blue (which I discuss below) he was also apart of Miles Davis’ seconded great quintet. Many people hold the opinion (myself included) this is one of the greatest jazz groups of all time. His compositional strengths really shine though on the albums miles smiles, sorcerer, and Nefertiti.

His blue note albums of the mid 60’s are generally agreed to be some of the most important albums of the era. Here are some of my thoughts on those records.

Night Dreamer, Ju Ju - His first two records feel pretty interchangeable, so much so it almost feels like a double album. On both he is joined by Mccoy Tyner and Elvin Jones. These records are great and they are the first ones I would recommend, but there are several songs (to my subjective ears) that feel a little melodically weak. The harmonies are very colorful but sometimes it feels like just a ditty was put on top. All the same these are great records.

Speak No Evil - For many people this is Wayne Shorter’s best album. To be honest this record took me a while to warm up to, not exactly sure why, but it took repeated listenings for it really started to click. I would say the emotional tone of this record is hard to explain. This is the first record with Herbie Hancock on piano (he was on all the rest of his blue note albums) which is an amazing pairing.

Etc. - I can not believe this music sat unreleased for 13 years. I love this record, and its probably in my top ten albums of all time. Theres defiantly a stronger avant-garde influence here, especially on the opening and closing numbers. The tune Barracudas is beyond amazing. The way they play the six eight time is so buoyant. I based a piece of music off the rhythmic feel of this piece.

Soothsayer, All seeing eye, Schizophrenia - All three of this albums have a larger front line with three or four horns. Over all solid records, but each has a track or two I don’t love. All seeing eye is the most out there (as in more elements of free jazz) of these records but also the most classical. Which creates a really interesting juxtaposition.

Adam’s Apple - This record feels a little more focused being striped back down back to a quartet. It has the song, footprints which is one of his most famous compositions. Its also a good example of his eclecticism. The opening number is funky and dancey, then it moves on to the latin flavored el gaucho (which by the way is the same melody as the piece Penelope) then to the impressionistic Teru.