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Bobby Hutcherson: Oblique
The first piece, Hutcherson's "'Til Then, has a hushed feel, sounding on the surface almost like background music. Underneath, though, all sorts of nice things are happening, starting with a subtly asymmetric form. The intensity builds with each chorus, coming to a slow boil during Hutcherson's solo. "My Joy is a waltz reminiscent of "Little B's Poem, but it starts swinging hard immediately into the solos. The rhythm section's sensitivity comes through at the beginning of Herbie Hancock's solo, when the bass and drums go back to a sparser feel, while the piano keeps the momentum going.
The third piece is Hancock's theme from the Antonioni movie Blow-Up; Hutcherson and Hancock complement each other nicely. The samba "Subtle Neptune is another Hutcherson cooker with his best solo of the CD. Hancock's turn is a little long and meandering, but that's a small complaint.
The last two pieces are by Joe Chambers, one of the great composers in jazz. The title track, reminiscent of Miles' "Agitation, is the emotional high point of the album, whereas "Bi-Sectional is a typically complicated, arresting piece. A genuinely remarkable album.
Track Listing
'Til Then; My Joy; Theme from Blow-Up; Subtle Neptune; Oblique; Bi-Sectional.
Personnel
Bobby Hutcherson
vibraphoneBobby Hutcherson: vibes; Herbie Hancock: piano; Albert Stinson: bass; Joe Chambers: drums.
Album information
Title: Oblique | Year Released: 2006 | Record Label: Blue Note Records
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