priceless words by Andrew Hill

"...Parker was important, and it was with him that I first discovered that it is not enough to play melody, but that rhythm is also important and that melody is rhythm..."

"...Jazz is part of a tradition from before the word 'jazz' was invented; there was ragtime and other music building on harmony, and Afro-centric in that melody and harmony were an appendix to the rhythm. To keep the structure. It's important to check out the rhythm first. Do you understand it, or does it need more of an explanation? The rhythm was dominant, but to be what we call jazz, music must consist of certain elements of structure and form. In the Western world, melody is most important with rhythm and harmony as accompaniment. Always check out the rhythm, if it's static it means the music is dead. If you use an academic approach, you can learn the melodies, but they will lack rhythmic interaction..."

link to article

Contemporary Figurative Art by Cathrine Edlinger-Kunze

Marvelous presentation by this great international artist. Her painting, Faith / Homage to Freedom appears on my second album.

http://www.edlinger-kunze.com/Edlinger-Kunze_Fine_Art/Welcome.html

Andrew Hill on his composition, '15/8'

New Music: 'Robert's Return', with RWH Jazz Triad

Master percussionist Robert Houtman's RWH Jazz Triad hosted a benefit performance at Angelica's Bistro in Redwood City on November 12. This most expert trio -- with Robert on drums, the bassist Carl Herder, and the guitarist David Copeland -- performed their wonderful, original music, and included my piece 'Robert's Return', which was written specifically for this concert.

Here are the concert tapes, which are posted to YouTube.

Thank you all for your support.

new book: Andrew Hill music

I've just received these detailed scores; wonderful works for solo piano, including Erato, 15/8, and Dusk. Check it out!

http://www.musicdispatch.com/product/viewproduct.do?itemid=48020929&lid=0&keywords=andrew hill&subsiteid=105&&viewtype=songlist

Sixth Anniversary of 'Out of the Underground' session

The upcoming sixth anniversary of the Out of the Underground trio session (June 14, 2010) is bittersweet. On one hand, these performances with James Edmiston and Andrew Wilshusen continue to be enjoyed all over the world. As of May 16, 2010, there were 2,112 downloads of Beijing Girl through the All About Jazz website. On the other, Edmiston, the bassist on these sides, has since passed away. But his memory, and the very high professional standards that he set, live on.

In its all too brief lifespan, the trio captured an angst and immediacy not typical of groups from this region. Far removed from mainstream jazz, the music had more in common with 20th century European classical music, with direct references to the work of Bartók, Busoni, and others. Simply put, it scared the hell out of a lot of people. A local FM radio station was especially offended, and took the recording out of broadcast rotation. Which makes its current popularity both ironic and poignant.

Wilshusen, a virtuoso percussionist who now lives in Portland, Oregon, was at the group's core. At the time, Edmiston remarked that no one had driven the ensemble with greater technical skill.

What did we get out of this, as musicians? Maybe we learned to stand our ground, despite very real obstacles.

Out of the Underground continues to be streamed in its entirety at http://www.myspace.com/jamesarmstrongtrio

Wishing you all the best.

James

Andrew White / master musician

Andrew White -- the genius saxophonist, author, and prolific transcriptionist in Washington, D.C. -- is still going strong! I purchased several Coltrane transcriptions from him more than 20 years ago. Mrs. White tells me that his catalog now features over 800 Coltrane transcriptions.

http://www.flashpointmag.com/white.htm

Hear Andrew's searing intensity on McCoy Tyner's "Asante" session...