Dusk was only the beginning to this part of the story…

I cannot listen to Andrew Hill’s new big band recording with out thinking of him and his band as a relatively well-behaved Sam Rivers and the Rivbea Big Band. Of course, that horribly shortchanges the 65 year-old Chicago native who’s Palmetto debut, Dusk , was considered by many critics as the best jazz recording on the year. Add to that that Blue Note’s Alfred Lion considered Hill his last great protégé and that Hill produced several ground-breaking recordings for that label in the 1960s.

A Beautiful Day continues Hill exploration of ground-breaking jazz. Recorded during a January 24-26, 2002 stint at Birdland in New York City, A Beautiful Day showcases Hill really big band (16 pieces in all). The eight craggy compositions are Hill’s, filled with effervescence and bare restraint. Hill is the most effective guide for his own music and these performances come off perfectly. The band is made up of crack New York players, most with the same modern bent as Hill. Chief among these is drummer Nasheet Waits, Trumpeter Dave Ballou, and multireedist Mart Erhlich. Hill’s reemergence on Palmetto Records marks the welcome return of one of Jazz music’s true geniuses.

Andrew Hill at All About Jazz.
Visit Andrew Hill on the web.

Track listing: Divine Revelation; Faded Beauty; Belleza; 5 Mo; New Pinocchio; J Di; A Beautiful Day; 11/8. (Total Time: 79:34).

Personnel: Andrew Hill— Piano; Scott Colley— Bass; Nasheet Waits— Drums; Aaron Stewart— Tenor Saxophone; John Savage—Alto Saxophone; Marty Ehrlich—Alto Sax; Greg Tardy— Tenor Sax; J.D. Parron— Baritone Sax; Ron Horton, Dave Ballou, Laurie Frink, Bruce Stallins— Trumpets; Charlie Gordon, Joe Fiedler and Mike Fahn— Trombones; Jose D'Avila— Tuba.

Style: Big Band
Published: September 13, 2002

Read more reviews of A Beautiful Day.

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