HurdAudio Rotation: Hunter Gatherer

Charlie Hunter: Charlie Hunter. 2000. Blue Note Records: 7243 5 25450 2 5.

Charlie Hunter: 8-string guitar
Peter Apfelbaum: tenor saxophone
Josh Roseman: trombone
Leon Parker: drums, percussion
Stephen Chopek: percussion
Robert Perkins: percussion

Right from the first notes of "Rendezvous Avec La Verite" this music cooks with a feel more than worthy of its Blue Note pedigree. And then it never lets up as the groove transforms itself through these nine short tracks - including a devastating take on Thelonius Monk's "Epistrophy." Josh Roseman offers up some excellent solos, particularly on "Flau Flau," that mine the same "in the pocket" feel that gives this recording so much life. Charlie Hunter's chops and musicianship border upon sounding like a graduate of the Berkeley jazz factory - but with a lot more heart. The effortlessness of his double duty of bass and guitar on the 8-strings are both terrifying and beautiful to behold. Truly an artist who has wood shedded his way into the tradition while adding something intoxicating and groove ready to the sound.

Andrew Hill: Point of Departure. 1964 (Rudy Van Gelder Edition released in 1999). Blue Note Records: 7243 4 99007 2 1.

Andrew Hill: piano
Kenny Dorham: trumpet
Eric Dolphy: alto saxophone, flute, bass clarinet
Joe Henderson: tenor saxophone
Richard Davis: bass
Tony Williams: drums

Each spin of Point of Departure reveals more layers of the many qualities that make this recording so enduring. So many things lined up exactly right to make this one of the great recordings of Blue Note's golden era. Each one of these Andrew Hill original compositions is an absolute gem. And then there's the ensemble that got together to realize this music and send it into a completely different aural dimension. There are moments when Eric Dolphy's role as an absolute innovator couldn't be any clearer. Balanced against Joe Henderson's steady sense of melody on the tenor saxophone. There's also enough Kenny Dorham on here to feed my obsession with his sound and sensibility. And all of this is on top of so many outstanding moments featuring Andrew Hill's improvisation and role as band leader. Possibly the very definition of a "must have" for any serious jazz collector.

3081: Baltimore 2008. 2008. Limited run, independently released.

Dave Ballou: trumpet
John Dierker: reeds
Mike Formanek: bass
Will Redman: drums

This is one of the things I miss about Baltimore. These four musicians are plugged deep into the free jazz tradition and they consistently bring something engaging to every incarnation they put on a stage. As 3081, this quartet quickly taps into an electricity between these players. Dave Ballou's playing in particular is reason enough to focus on this sound. Interplay that crackles and arcs at creative angles. Well worth seeking this group out.

HurdAudio Rotation: From A Baroque Window

Wayne Horvitz/Four Plus One Ensemble: From A Window. 2001. Disk Union: Avan 080.

Wayne Horvitz: piano, prepared piano, hammond B-3, pump organ, synthesizers, toy piano
Eyvind Kang: violin, viola
Tucker Martine: live electronic processing, live drum machine
Julian Priester: trombone
Reggie Watts: keyboards, vocals, live drum machine, piano
special guest - Skerik: baritone saxophone

A shimmering set of compositions that do so much without doing too much. Deceptively simple pieces that swing, groove and touch upon a slice of chamber jazz, funk and blues within the deceptive brilliance of melodic and harmonic construction. The "plus one" of Tucker Martine's real-time processing combined with the improvisational prowess of the band breathes an organic life into this music that occasionally dances and paints the air with its lush and delicate textures. A good example of the Wayne Horvitz sound and knack for arranging that is so important to these ears.

Andrew Hill: A Beautiful Day. 2002. Palmetto Records: PM 2085.

Andrew Hill : piano
Scott Colley: bass
Nasheet Waits: drums
Aaron Stewart: tenor saxophone
John Savage: alto saxophone, flute
Marty Ehrlich: alto saxophone, clarinet, bass clarinet, flute
Greg Tardy: tenor saxophone, clarinet, bass clarinet
J.D. Parran: baritone saxophone, bass clarinet
Ron Horton: trumpet
Dave Ballou: trumpet
Laurie Frink: trumpet
Bruce Staalens: trumpet
Charlie Gordon: trombone
Joe Fiedler: trombone
Mike Fahn: trombone
Jose D'avila: tuba

Like many of Andrew Hill's recordings, this one withstands repeated listenings with an unbelievable barrage of new details that emerge with each new aural acquaintance. The immediate impression of just how impressive the horn arrangements are gives way to the beauty of the compositional forms. Then comes the realization of how intense the individual solos are followed by the thread of piano material from the composer and band leader of this ensemble. Then the ears step back and hear how all those parts work together. It's enough to make one hit play again and again with this disc. This is good stuff.

Johann Sebastian Bach: Back Edition [disc 1-2]. Recorded in May 2006: Brilliant Classics: 93102/2.

Musica Amphion,
Pieter-Jan Belder
Remy Baudet: leader

Concerto no. 4 in G Major BWV 1049
soloists:
Remy Baudet: violin
Pieter-Jan Belder: recorder
Saskia Coolen: recorder

Concerto no. 5 in D Major BWV 1050
soloists:
Wilbert Hazelzet: traverso
Remy Baudet: violin
Pieter-Jan Belder: harpsichord

Concerto no. 6 in B flat Major BWV 1051
solists:
Staas Swierstra: viola
Sayuri Yamagata: viola
Mieneke van der Velden: viola da gamba
Johannes Boer: viola da gamba
Lucia Swarts: cello

The Brandenburg Concertos are some of the most passively known works around. I know these pieces well and I've almost never listened to them directly. They are the background music for so many public spaces and public media that one may never even know who or what they are. A sure sign of durability. As my own perspective expands to take in the long continuum between early and contemporary music I'm finding the Baroque period particularly interesting. And these pieces are well worth a direct listening.

HurdAudio Rotation: Hunter, Hill and Mmmmmmmm

Charlie Hunter: Charlie Hunter. 2000. Blue Note Records: 7243 5 25450 2 5.

Charlie Hunter: 8-string guitar
Peter Apfelbaum: tenor saxophone
Josh Roseman: trombone
Leon Parker: drums, percussion
Stephen Chopek: percussion
Robert Perkins: percussion

An overdue spin of this completely Blue Note-worthy guitarist. For his self-titled release Hunter mixes and matches a percussion driven set of originals (and a Monk tune) as a showcase of his great tone, chops and sense of time. "Two for Bleu" is a standout track with the horn section of Apfelbaum and Roseman sitting in. Josh Roseman's trombone solo on that track is well worth coming back for on this one. A solid effort from a mesmerizing talent.

Andrew Hill: Point of Departure. 1964 (Rudy Van Gelder edition released in 1999). Blue Note Records: 7243 4 99007 2 1.

Andrew Hill: piano
Kenny Dorham: trumpet
Eric Dolphy: alto saxophone, flute, bass clarinet
Joe Henderson: tenor saxophone
Richard Davis: bass
Tony Williams: drums

If you've developed a proper love of jazz and the creative talents that have manifested through the music over the decades then the list of players found on Point of Departure should trigger a mix of awe that so much fierce creativity was concentrated in one place at one time along with a pang that such inspired talent continues to recede into the past. With this artifact - this recording - these speakers spill out with so much evidence of a place and time where lightning struck. And for Eric Dolphy, this Point of Departure nearly coincided with his own as he departed this dimension just three months after this recording.

From the first sounds of "Refuge" through a set of outstanding Hill compositions (especially "New Monastery" and "Dedication") the mixture of profound awe and near disbelief that nearly half a century has done little to dull the vitality or thorny challenge that this music presents. The ears are tempted to go back in time and live within the Blue Note back catalogue with material such as this.

Trio M - Myra Melford/Mark Dresser/Matt Wilson: Big Picture. 2007. Cryptogramophone: CG 134.

Myra Melford: piano
Mark Dresser: bass
Matt Wilson: drums

My appreciation of all projects involving Myra Melford on piano is well documented in this space by now. Trio M takes that "Melford effect" to the next level as this trio of equals takes the traditional piano trio instrumentation to a new evolutionary plateau. The simpatico of creative forces that fuses Melford's blend of blues and free jazz with the sonic world of Mark Dresser on bass and the endless percussive joys of Matt Wilson on drums is one of the greatest live ensembles I've ever had the pleasure of witnessing. With Big Picture we have the tangible documentation of this trio one craves after experiencing them first hand. The democratic contributions of compositions and grounded improvisations growing organically from the unique vocabulary developed by each of these individuals is a transcendent sound. And yet Big Picture yields just a glimpse of their outstanding potential as this trio has gelled even further since this recording date. Seek out and savor this disc. Seek out the live experience of this group and let the mind reel as it contemplates what the Big Picture could not contain.

HurdAudio Rotation: Some Andrew Hill and A Couple of Plus One Ensembles

Wayne Horvitz/4+1 Ensemble: From A Window. 2001. Disk Union/Avan: 080.

Wayne Horvitz: piano, prepared piano, hammond B-3, pump organ, synthesizers, toy piano
Eyvind Kang: violin, viola
Tucker Martine: live electronic processing, drum machine
Julian Priester: trombone
Reggie Watts: keyboards, vocals, live drum machine, piano
special guest -
Skerik: baritone saxophone

Understated. Brittle melodies, grooves that bubble to the surface with deceptive simplicity and hook-like qualities that linger on after the final track has played. This is a good example of the Wayne Horvitz arrangement technique and sound that runs within my own veins. Lurking just beneath the surface of these quiet, reserved pieces is some impressive improvisational talent. Julian Priester's trombone work in particular is a steady creative force within this ensemble.

Andrew Hill: A Beautiful Day. 2002. Palmetto Records: PM 2085.

Andrew Hill: piano
Scott Colley: bass
Nasheet Waits: drums
Aaron Stewart: tenor saxophone
John Savage: alto saxophone, flute
Marty Ehrlich: alto saxophone, clarinet, bass clarinet, flute
Greg Tardy: tenor saxophone, clarinet, bass clarinet
J.D. Parron: baritone saxophone, bass clarinet
Ron Horton: trumpet
Dave Ballou: trumpet
Laurie Frinck: trumpet
Bruce Staalens: trumpet
Charlie Gordon: trombone
Joe Fiedler: trombone
Mike Fahn: trombone
Jose D'Avila: tuba

A Beautiful Day. Beauty is one word for it. Sounds that vary in thickness and intensity, yet always in the service of musical ideas that allow plenty of room for the individual improvising talents to come through. A Beautiful Day is actually taken from three beautiful nights at New York's Birdland late in Andrew Hill's recording and composing career. The ensemble is world class and this recording documents just how fluid Hill's musical ideas have been over a span of decades. A Beautiful Day. Beautiful arrangements. Beautiful sound.

Anthony Braxton 12+1tet: 9 Compositions (Iridium) 2006 - disc 5. Firehouse 12 Records: FH12-04-03-001.

Recorded live: March 18, 2006 at Iridium Jazz Club, New York City.

The Anthony Braxton 12+1tet
Anthony Braxton: composer, alto saxophone, soprano saxophone, sopranino saxophone, clarinet and Eb contalto clarinet
Taylor Ho Bynum: cornet, flugelhorn, trumpbone, piccolo trumpet, bass trumpet, shell
Andrew Raffo Dewar: soprano saxophone, c-melody saxophone, clarinet
James Fei: alto saxophone, soprano saxophone, clarinet, bass clarinet
Mary Halvorson: electric guitar
Stephen H. Lehman: alto saxophone, sopranino saxophone
Nicole Mitchell: flute, alto flute, bass flute, piccolo, voice
Jessica Pavone: viola, violin
Reut Regev: trombone, flugelbone
Jay Rozen: tuba, euphonium
Sara Schoenbeck: bassoon, suona
Aaron Siegel: percussion, vibraphone
Carl Testa: acoustic bass, bass clarinet

Disc 5 = Composition 354 - dedicated to the composer Charles Wuorinen

Other than beginning and ending within a span of approximately an hour, these ghost trance pieces seem to suspend time - or at least warp the passage of minutes into a smear of pulse and carefully interwoven group improvisation. At a cross roads of jazz history, avant garde traditions from both sides of the Atlantic and ritualistic traditions that speaks to both transcendence and the human condition Anthony Braxton explores an elastic territory that redefines what large ensemble improvisation can be. The guitar textures of Mary Halvorson that rise to the surface of this sound are a startling and welcome thread within this sonic fabric. One of many bright shades found upon this substantial canvas.

HurdAudio Rotation: Charlie Must Be Understandably Proud of Petra

Charlie Hunter: Charlie Hunter. 2000. Blue Note Records: 7243 5 25450 2 5.

Charlie Hunter: 8-string guitar
Peter Apfelbaum: tenor saxophone
Josh Roseman: trombone
Leon Parker: drums, percussion
Stephen Chopek: percussion
Robert Perkins: percussion

Charlie Hunter has all the characteristics one looks for in a Blue Note release with the heavy helping of chops combined with a distinctive sound. But there's also a lot of raw fun lurking in this groove-heavy disc. The Latin treatment of Monk's "Epistrophy" being one of the highlights along with the driving infectiousness of "Two for Bleu." Hunter proves - yet again - that one can fall squarely within the jazz tradition without sounding dated or derivative.

Andrew Hill: Point of Departure. 1964. Re-released in 1999. Blue Note Records: 7243 4 99007 2 1.

Andrew Hill: compositions, piano
Kenny Dorham: trumpet
Eric Dolphy: alto saxophone, flute, bass clarinet
Joe Henderson: tenor saxophone
Richard Davis: bass
Tony Williams: drums

A disc dripping with musicality that continues to reveal fresh surprises with each spinning. Dorham, Dolphy and Henderson all turn in outstanding solos that deliver exactly what one expects from such a stacked roster. But it's the Andrew Hill compositions that make this session so enduring as he shapes many different textures and sounds out of the sonic verve these players bring to the table.

Petra Haden/Bill Frisell: Petra Haden and Bill Frisell. 2003. Songlines/Tonefield: TND 312.

Petra Haden: vocals, violin
Bill Frisell: electric guitar, acoustic guitar

I can't believe this has been sitting on my shelf for over six months waiting for this listening. A combination of trepidation of a vocal heavy recording and a wealth of new music to listen to kept this one in the back of the cue. Faith in Bill Frisell's taste and musicality pulled it forward today and I was reminded that while vocals and poetry often fail, they can also capture truth and expression with painful immediacy. And in the case of Petra Haden, with her exquisite sense of intonation and grasp of song, this is a collaboration that wins these doubting ears completely over. Even the cover of Coldplay's "Yellow" - a completely over-exposed song that has never held my attention prior to this cover - takes on a human vulnerability and confidence that is startling. "Moon River" breathes with a vitality that conveys a sense of why that song has such longevity. And the wordless interpretation of Frisell's "Throughout" is pure joy.

HurdAudio Rotation: From A Window I Can See A Beautiful and Pastoral Day

Wayne Horvitz/4+1 Ensemble: From A Window. 2001. Disk Union: Avan 080.

Wayne Horvitz: composer, piano, prepared piano, hammond B-3, pump organ, synthesizers, toy piano
Eyvind Kang: violin, viola
Tucker Martine: live electronic processing, live drum machine
Julian Priester: trombone
Reggie Watts: keyboards, vocals, live drum machine, piano
Skerik: baritone saxophone

Wayne Horvitz nails such a unique balance on this disc. An exquisitely quiet sound filled with so much electronic detail and live sound manipulation with plenty of breathing room for the melodic contours and great arrangements to weave throughout the sound. And for all its restraint and brittle, quiet details, there's a deeply satisfying sense of rhythmic groove that keeps the ears buoyant and the foot tapping.

Andrew Hill: A Beautiful Day. 2002. Palmetto Records: PM 2085.

Andrew Hill: piano
Scott Colley: bass
Nasheet Waits: drums
Aaron Stewart: tenor saxophone
John Savage: alto saxophone, flute
Marty Ehrlich: alto saxophone, clarinet, bass clarinet, flute
Greg Tardy: tenor saxophone, clarinet, bass clarinet
J.D. Parron: baritone saxophone, bass clarinet
Ron Horton: trumpet
Dave Ballou: trumpet
Laurie Frinck: trumpet
Bruce Staalens: trumpet
Charlie Gordon: trombone
Joe Fiedler: trombone
Mike Fahn: trombone
Jose D'Avila: tuba

A beautiful day indeed. The crowd seems severely under-enthused given the caliber of playing and arranging being presented in this live set at New York's Birdland. But then, Andrew Hill's genius is found in the understatement that marks so much of his work. These pieces are packed with so many ideas that it's amazing how light and unencumbered they feel. With so much to focus on with this 16-piece ensemble - with generous helping of sub-groups and solos - I find my ears drawn to the drumming of Nasheet Waits this time around. Outstanding. Not to mention the tasty flute and bass clarinet timbres.

Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphony No. 6 in F major (op. 68) "Pastorale". Recorded by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in 1993. Conducted by Mark Ermler. The International Music Company: 205298-305.

Of all the Beethoven Symphonies, the appeal of the sixth seems the least immediate somehow. First of all, it's the most familiar, the most abused by "background music" operations and advertising by far as it gets diced and excerpted as some kind of shorthand for "idyllic" or "tranquil." Then there is the whole "pastoral" element, standing in sharp contrast to the explosive energy of the fifth symphony. It seems "less serious." Though as it turns out, the whole pastoral, peaceful quality is deceptive. Because when taken as a whole - as Beethoven wrote it long before Madison Avenue stripped it of all formal consequence - this one sneaks up and slowly reveals itself for the brilliant orchestration, compositionally balanced conception and beautiful harmonic development that it is.

uTopian Turtletop recently shared his listening experience with this work.

HurdAudio Rotation: Canvasing the Jazz, Classical and Rock Sections of the Music Store

Andrew Hill: Point of Departure. 1964. Blue Note Records: 7243 4 99007 2 1.

Andrew Hill: piano, composer
Kenny Dorham: trumpet
Eric Dolphy: alto saxophone, flute, bass clarinet
Joe Henderson: tenor saxophone
Richard Davis: bass
Tony Williams: drums

The music and the players on this classic Blue Note is an endless source of awe. Andrew Hill wrote these great compositions, and then he has performers the caliber of Eric Dolphy, Joe Henderson and Kenny Dorham improvising within his formal structures. The alternate takes on "New Monastery," "Flight 19" and "Dedication" add new insight into these pieces. And they're every bit as vibrant as the versions from the original album. I'm so taken by "Spectrum" that I wish there was an alternate take on that one as well. The additional material tacked onto the end does alter the beautiful arc of the original sequence. Perhaps these special editions should program a respectful pause before the bonus tracks to preserve the experience as it was originally issued.

Morton Feldman: Works for Piano. Recorded in 1990. Hat Hut Records: 6035.

Marianne Schroeder: piano

"Intermission 5" (1952)
"Piano Piece - to Philip Guston" (1963)
"Vertical Thoughts 4" (1963)
"Piano" (1977)
"Palais de Mari - for Fancesco Clemente" (1986)

Morton Feldman's affinity for the paintings of Cezanne or Degas (or the drawings of Philip Guston) is made audible in these exquisite, intensely quiet piano compositions. Listening to this CD is like entering a spacious wing of a large art museum set aside for displaying these five modern works. "Intermission 5," "Piano Piece" and "Vertical Thoughts 4" are small-scale, beautiful sketches that lead into the larger canvases of "Piano" and "Palais de Mari." Each is rendered with the fewest, most carefully selected strokes possible. I am struck by the vast tranquility of this music and the attractive remoteness of breathing in the midst of soft gestures that barely ripple across the prevailing silence.

Beck: Guero. 2005. Interscope Records: B0003481-02.

I seem to be in a 2-year delay in keeping up with Beck's output as this is the first time I've given this disc a listen. Guero feels like a tame version of Odelay. There's the attention to production detail that one expects from Beck's studio efforts. But this one pulls up short for my tastes as my ears craved wider extremes of sonic variation - or at least hearing some of the sonic territory pushed a little further than the arrested trajectories that box in the sound on this one. However, Beck has a knack for song writing and there's a solid core at the center of each track. Ultimately, that's where Guero succeeds and delivers a quality listening experience in spite of the pitfalls and warts.

HurdAudio Rotation: The Good Plus, Live from Birdland and Variations on a Russian Theme

Wayne Horvitz/The Four Plus One Ensemble: From a Window. 2001. Avant (Japan): Avan 080.

Wayne Horvitz: piano, prepared piano, hammond B-3, pump organ, synthesizers, toy piano
Eyvind Kang: violin, viola
Tucker Martine: live electronic processing, live drum machine
Julian Priester: trombone
Reggie Watts: keyboards, vocals, live drum machine, piano
+ Special Guest - Skerik: baritone saxophone

Tucker Martine is the Plus One of Four Plus One as he transparently applies a final sheen to the overall sound of this group with his live electronic processing. This music shimmers through his creative filtering. Yet every gesture, melodic line and arrangement clearly originates from Wayne Horvitz as the sometimes thick textures on this disc are woven from some of the most frail threads of fragmented melodies and hypnotic ostinatos.

Andrew Hill: A Beautiful Day. 2002. Palmetto Records: PM 2085.

Andrew Hill: piano
Scott Colley: bass
Nasheet Waits: drums
Aaron Stewart: tenor saxophone
John Savage: alto saxophone, flute
Marty Ehrlich: alto saxophone, clarinet, bass clarinet, flute
Greg Tardy: tenor saxophone, clarinet, bass clarinet
J.D. Parron: baritone saxophone, bass clarinet
Ron Horton: trumpet
Dave Ballou: trumpet
Laurie Frinck: trumpet
Bruce Staalens: trumpet
Charlie Gordon: trombone
Joe Fiedler: trombone
Mike Fahn: trombone
Jose D'Avila: tuba

The variation in densities with this ensemble is a source of dynamic beauty. With the luxury of thick textures given the size of this group combined with the arranging prowess of Andrew Hill it seems like an added bonus to have moments of clarity where individuals step into the foreground with some outstanding solos. This is a live recording from New York's Birdland and it must have been a series of monster sets. I'm more impressed with this material each time I hear it.

Ludwig van Beethoven: The Complete Quartets - Volume III. Recorded in 1994. Performed by the Orford String Quartet. Delos: DE 3033.

Andrew Dawes: violin
Kenneth Perkins: violin
Terence Helmer: viola
Denis Brott: cello

String Quartet in F Major, op. 59 no. 1 "Razumaovsky Quartet"
String Quartet in A Major, op. 18 no. 5

Of all the Beethoven I've indulged in recently it is this first Razumaovsky Quartet that has impressed me the most. It initially whetted my appetite for the late-Beethoven works that lie ahead for these ears when the thematic development began to reveal itself as something profoundly inspired. It may be these middle-period Beethoven works that reveal significant details in the transition from Classical to Romantic aesthetics. The melodic lines in the cello part through the third movement were particularly startling as they seemed to propel things along some unfamiliar paths - unfamiliar in the "classical" sense. At 42+ minutes this chamber piece seems to swell the 4-movement classical form right to the bursting point - but this duration is clearly necessary to contain the scope of the ideas found in this composition.

HurdAudio Rotation: Anderson, Coleman, Hill

Laurie Anderson: Life on a String. 2001. Nonesuch: 79539-2.
Laurie Anderson: vocals, keyboards, violins, gongs
with various (small) combinations of:
Elena Barere: concert master - Joey Baron: drums, percussion - Martin Brumback: percussion arrangement - Vinicius Cantuaria: percussion - Mino Cinelu: percussion - Timothy Cobb: bass - Greg Cohen: acoustic bass - Jill Dell'Abate: orchestra conductor - Enrico DiCecco: violin - Jonathan Dinklage: violin - Karen Dreyfus: viola - Barry Finclair: violin - Danny Frankel: percussion, hand claps, "box-o-toys" - Eric Friedlander: cello - Bill Frisell: guitar - Jean Ingram: violin - Mitchell Froom: keyboards, claviola, mellotron, wurlitzer - Liheng: baritone banhu - Vincent Lionti: viola - Eyvind Kang: violin - John Kelly: background vocals - Ann Leathers: violin - Jeanne LeBlanc: cello - Dwight Mikkelsen: copyist - Heidi Modr: violin - Jan Mullen: violin - Tom Nelis: vocals - Van Dyke Parks: string arrangements, conductor, keyboards - Ellen Payne: violin - Joel Pitchon: violin - Sue Pray: viola - Lou Reed: guitar - Ben Rubin: bells - Peter Scherer: keyboards, percussion - Jamshied Sharifi: additional keyboards, strings - Ricky Sortomme: violin - Skuli Sverrisson: bass, little organ, percussion programming, high bass, sounds, bowed guitars, keyboards - Chris Speed: saxophone - Cuong Vu: trumpet - Carol Webb: violin - Judith Willmer: viola - Hal Willner: turntables, samples - Mocean Worker: beats, keyboards - Fredrick Zlotkin: cello
This disc is dripping with good taste. For all the production, collaboration and detail in this studio effort, the end result ultimately enhances the understated poetry that makes these songs work. There are some great players involved in this project. Yet the sound is unmistakably Anderson's as she molds the right textures for what she has to say.

Ornette Coleman: Dedication to Poets and Writers. Recorded at Town Hall, 1962. Magic Music: 30010-CD.
Ornette Coleman: saxophone
David Izenzohn: bass
Charles Moffett: percussion
Selwart Clark: violin
Nathan Goldstein: violin
Julian Barber: viola
Kermit Moore: cello
This disc has long been a personal favorite for me. This was Ornette Coleman's first project after breaking onto the scene with his great quartet of the late 1950's and early 1960's. And he was already staking out creative directions that would continue to unfold throughout his career (finally earning him a Pulitzer Prize this year. He can add it to his lifetime achievement Grammy. I'm still lobbying for the international holiday.).
This concert presents Ornette's new trio, plus a string quartet and various combinations of the two ensembles. The sonic results are staggering as each piece represents an incredible new direction that he would continue to pursue over the decades. "Dedication to Poets and Writers" is a piece for string quartet that needs to be added to the canon of works for that medium. My ears can't get enough of that harmolodic chamber music. The fact that Ornette did not record or perform for two years after this concert suggests that people weren't ready for the boundary smashing that Ornette's genius had already undertaken.

Andrew Hill: Point of Departure. 1964. Blue Note: 7243 4 99007 2 1.
Andrew Hill: piano, compositions
Kenny Dorham: trumpet
Eric Dolphy: alto saxophone, flute, bass clarinet
Joe Henderson: tenor saxophone
Richard Davis: bass
Tony Williams: drums

Right from the first note of the first track, "Refuge" kicks this off with one of those compositions, sounds and performances that is so essential that one cannot imagine jazz without it. Great personnel. Great compositions. This disc is a true must have in any serious jazz collection.

And "Refuge" isn't the only essential track on this collection. Andrew Hill's compositional sensibilities were in full force for this session and I don't think he ever let up.

Andrew Hill: 1931 - 2007

NEW YORK (AP) -- Andrew Hill, a groundbreaking jazzman, pianist and composer known for his complex post-bop style, died early Friday, his record label announced. He was 75.

Andrew Hill's music has been in the HurdAudio Rotation lately and I've consistently been struck by the quality of his playing and especially by his accomplishments as a composer. There is sadness in his passing and love for the music he leaves behind.

Some outpouring of that love around the blogs: Foxy Digitalis, Fonocaptador, The Friday Riff, Tom Hull - on the web, The Jazzcat, Radio Mute Forum, Foucault's Lunchbox, Perfect Sounds, Fojazz, Gapersblock, SFBG, Time Out NY and JazzHQ.

HurdAudio Rotation: Spinning the Improvisers

Erik Friedlander: Maldoror. Solo cello improvisation inspired by the poetry of Comte de Lautreamont. The translations of the poems included in the liner notes are dark and surreal. Any excuse to hear Friedlander playing in isolation like this is welcome. I'd listen to a disc of improvisations inspired by still life paintings from hotel rooms if Friedlander is involved with it.

Andrew Hill: A Beautiful Day. A big band led by pianist/composer Andrew Hill (that happens to include the great Marty Ehrlich) recorded at New York City's Birdland on January 24, 25 and 26, 2002. We should all be so fortunate to have a large band like this at our disposal. Hill knows exactly what to do with a large-scale canvas like this as he spins out great ideas and arrangements at every turn. And he still leaves plenty of room for some knockout solos. This is just one of many counter-arguments to the nauseating "jazz is dead"meme.

Albert Ayler: Holy Ghost Box Set (disc 2). I've discussed this disc earlier in this space. Intense. Rewarding to the attentive listener. Punishing for the passive one. I'm so glad this documentation exists and I can come back to it as a reference point. Ayler tapped into something substantial and each listening reveals something new to ponder over as a composer and improviser.