Lonely Hill

Andrew Hill was one of the unsung stalwarts of the Blue Note label in the 1960s, appearing as a sideman on recordings by Bobby Hutcherson, Joe Henderson and Sam Rivers. But Hill's work as a leader deserves far more attention. Despite a fairly prolific output in the 1960s, Chicago-born Hill struggled to be heard in the 1970s and 1980s, until he returned to Blue Note in 1989. In 1995, a Blue Note box set was released, and today at the age of nearly 70, Andrew Hill is finally getting some of the respect and attention he has always deserved. Check his website for some free solo mp3s!

Hill's 1960s recordings ride a distinctive line between hard bop and complete freedom, where blues licks meld into atonality at a moment's notice.

New Monastery is performed by the rather extraordinary sextet of Kenny Dorham (tp), Eric Dolphy (as, fl, Blc), Joe Henderson (ts), Andrew Hill (pn), Richard Davis (b) and Tony Williams (d). The Day After features a "two-bass quartet" of Hill, Roy Haynes, (d) with Richard Davis and Eddie Kahn on bass.

Andrew Hill Sextet - New Monastery
From Point of Departure: Blue Note 84167 [Buy]

Andrew Hill Quartet - The Day After
From Smoke Stack: Blue Note 32097 [Buy]

Andrew Hill

In 1996, Andrew Hill visited New Zealand, playing one show at Manifesto on Queen St in Auckland. Hill played a solo set, followed by a lengthy set with local musicans (from memory, Cameron Undy, Nick McBride, Jason Jones and Kim Paterson).

I actually got to meet Mr Hill personally, and as an impressionable and somewhat starry-eyed teenager, this was a memorable moment. I told him how much I enjoyed his gig, and he said, smiling, "Well, bless your heart!" And to this day, these are the only four words a Blue Note recording artist has ever said to me.