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Andrew Hill
Andrew Hill.jpg
Background information
Born June 30, 1931
Chicago, Illinois, United States
Died April 20, 2007(2007-04-20) (aged 75)
Jersey City, New Jersey, United States
Genres Jazz, avant-garde jazz, bebop, hard bop
Occupation(s) Musician, bandleader, composer
Instruments Piano, celeste, harpsichord
Years active 1954–2007
Labels Blue Note, SteepleChase, Soul Note, Palmetto

Andrew Hill (born June 30, 1931 – died April 20, 2007) was an American jazz pianist and composer. He was known for his unique and creative approach to jazz music.

A jazz critic named John Fordham said Andrew Hill was a "uniquely gifted composer, pianist, and teacher." Even though he was very talented, many people in the wider jazz world didn't know about him for a long time.

Andrew Hill recorded many albums for Blue Note Records, a famous jazz label. He made about a dozen albums with them over almost ten years.

Andrew Hill's Life Story

Growing Up in Chicago

Andrew Hill was born in Chicago, Illinois. His parents were William and Hattie Hill. He had a brother named Robert, who was a singer and played the classical violin.

Andrew started playing the piano when he was thirteen years old. A famous jazz musician named Earl Hines encouraged him to play. As a child, he went to the University of Chicago Experimental School. He also studied music informally with Paul Hindemith, a well-known composer, until 1952.

When he was a teenager, Andrew played in rhythm and blues bands. He also performed with famous jazz musicians who were touring, like Charlie Parker and Miles Davis.

Andrew once shared a fun memory from his childhood. He said, "I started out in music as a boy soprano, singing and playing the accordion, and tap dancing." He had a small act and won prizes at talent shows. He even won turkeys at Thanksgiving parties!

Starting His Music Career

In 1950, Andrew learned his first blues changes on the piano. He learned them from a saxophonist named Pat Patrick. His first professional music job was in 1953 with Paul Williams' band. At that time, he played both the piano and the baritone saxophone.

Over the next few years, playing piano helped him meet many musicians. Some of them, like Joe Segal and Barry Harris, became important influences. In 1961, he moved to New York City. He had been traveling as an accompanist for singer Dinah Washington. In New York, he worked with Johnny Hartman and Al Hibbler. Later, he briefly moved to Los Angeles County. There, he played with Roland Kirk's quartet and at the Lighthouse Café jazz club.

Andrew Hill first recorded as a sideman (a musician who plays with a band leader) in 1954. But he became famous for his own recordings as a leader. These were the Blue Note albums he made from 1963 to 1970. On these albums, he played with many other important jazz musicians. Some of these included Eric Dolphy, Bobby Hutcherson, Joe Henderson, and Tony Williams.

After the 1960s, Andrew Hill rarely played as a sideman. He preferred to play his own music. This might have meant fewer people knew about him. He later taught music in California. He was a professor at Portland State University from 1989 to 1996. He also led a Summer Jazz Intensive program there. He performed and taught at other schools too, like Harvard University.

Andrew Hill's album Dusk was named the best album of 2001 by two jazz magazines. In 2003, he won the Jazzpar Prize, a big award in jazz. Many of his older recordings from the 1960s were also released later. One important one was Passing Ships, which featured a large group of musicians.

In 2004, he appeared on a show called SOLOS: The Jazz Sessions. Because he was becoming more well-known again, he released a new Blue Note album. It was called Time Lines and came out in 2006.

His last public performance was on March 29, 2007. It took place at Trinity Church in New York City.

Andrew Hill's Personal Life

Andrew met his first wife, Laverne Gillette, at the Lighthouse Café. She was an organist there. They got married in 1963 and moved to New York.

Laverne passed away in California in 1989 after a long illness. Andrew married Joanne Robinson Hill, a dancer and educator, in 1992. They moved to New York City in 1995. From 2000, Andrew and Joanne lived in Jersey City, New Jersey.

Andrew Hill passed away at his home in Jersey City, New Jersey, in April 2007.

In May 2007, he received a special honorary doctorate degree. This was from Berklee College of Music, and it was given to him after he passed away.

Andrew Hill's Playing Style

Andrew Hill was mainly influenced by three famous pianists: Thelonious Monk, Bud Powell, and Art Tatum.

He said that Monk was like composers Ravel and Debussy. He felt that Monk put a lot of his own personality into his playing. Andrew believed that the personality of music is what makes it special.

He also felt that Bud Powell was a very important influence. However, Andrew thought that if you copied Bud too much, you would always sound like him. Andrew Hill called Art Tatum the best example of "all modern piano playing."

Discography

As Leader

Recording date Title Label Year released Notes
1959 So in Love Warwick 1960 Trio, with Malachi Favors (bass), James Slaughter (drums)
1963-11 Black Fire Blue Note 1964 Quartet, with Joe Henderson (tenor sax), Richard Davis (bass), Roy Haynes (drums)
1963-12 Smoke Stack Blue Note 1966 Trio, with Richard Davis/Eddie Khan (bass), Roy Haynes (drums)
1964-01 Judgment! Blue Note 1964 Quartet, with Bobby Hutcherson (vibes), Richard Davis (bass), Elvin Jones (drums)
1964-03 Point of Departure Blue Note 1965 Sextet, with Eric Dolphy (flute, bass clarinet, alto sax), Joe Henderson (tenor sax), Kenny Dorham (trumpet), Richard Davis (bass), Tony Williams (drums)
1964-06 Andrew!!! Blue Note 1968 Quintet, with John Gilmore (tenor sax), Bobby Hutcherson (vibes), Richard Davis (bass), Joe Chambers (drums)
1965-02 Pax Blue Note 2006 Quintet, with Joe Henderson (tenor sax), Freddie Hubbard (cornet), Richard Davis (bass), Joe Chambers (drums)
1965-10 Compulsion!!!!! Blue Note 1967 With John Gilmore (bass clarinet, tenor sax), Freddie Hubbard (trumpet, flugelhorn), Richard Davis (bass), Joe Chambers (drums), Nadi Qamar (conga, percussion), Renaud Simmons (conga)
1966-03 Change Blue Note 2007 Quartet, with Sam Rivers (tenor sax), Walter Booker (bass), J. C. Moses (drums); first issued as Sam Rivers's album Involution
1968-04,
1968-08
Grass Roots Blue Note 1968 Some tracks quintet with Frank Mitchell (tenor sax), Woody Shaw (trumpet), Reggie Workman (bass), Idris Muhammad (drums); some tracks sextet, with Jimmy Ponder (guitar) added; some tracks quintet with Booker Ervin (tenor sax), Lee Morgan (trumpet), Ron Carter (bass), Freddie Waits (drums)
1968-10 Dance with Death Blue Note 1980 LT series. Quintet, with Joe Farrell (soprano sax, tenor sax), Charles Tolliver (trumpet), Victor Sproles (bass), Billy Higgins (drums)
1969-05,
1970-03
Lift Every Voice Blue Note 1970 With Carlos Garnett (tenor sax), Woody Shaw (trumpet), Richard Davis (bass), Freddie Waits (drums), Benjamin Franklin Carter, Joan Johnson, LaReine LaMar, Gail Nelson, Antenett Goodman Ray, Ron Steward and Lawrence Marshall (vocals)
1969-11 Passing Ships Blue Note 2003 With Dizzy Reece and Woody Shaw (trumpet), Joe Farrell (alto flute, English horn, bass clarinet, soprano sax, tenor sax), Howard Johnson (bass clarinet, tuba), Robert Northern (French horn), Julian Priester (trombone), Ron Carter (bass), Lenny White (drums)
1974-10 Invitation SteepleChase 1974 Trio, with Chris White (bass), Art Lewis (drums)
1974-12,
1975-01
Spiral Freedom 1975 Some tracks quartet, with Robin Kenyatta (alto sax), Stafford James (bass), Barry Altschul (drums); some tracks quintet, with Lee Konitz (soprano sax, alto sax, tenor sax), Ted Curson (trumpet, fleugelhorn, pocket trumpet), Cecil McBee (bass), Art Lewis (drums)
1975-02 Blue Black East Wind 1975 Quartet, with Jimmy Vass (flute, soprano sax, alto sax), Chris White (bass), Leroy Williams (drums)
1975-07 Divine Revelation SteepleChase 1974 One track solo piano; some tracks quartet, with Jimmy Vass (flute, soprano sax, alto sax), Chris White (bass), Leroy Williams (drums)
1975-05,
1975-07
Hommage East Wind 1975 Solo piano
1975-07 Live at Montreux Freedom 1975 Solo piano; in concert
1976-01 Nefertiti East Wind 1976 Trio, with Richard Davis (bass), Roger Blank (drums)
1978-10 From California with Love Artists House 1979 Solo piano
1980-06 Strange Serenade Soul Note 1980 Trio, with Alan Silva (bass), Freddie Waits (drums)
1980-06 Faces of Hope Soul Note 1980 Solo piano
1986-07 Shades Soul Note 1988 Some tracks trio, with Rufus Reid (bass), Ben Riley (drums); some tracks quartet, with Clifford Jordan (tenor sax)
1986-07 Verona Rag Soul Note 1987 Solo piano
1989-01 Eternal Spirit Blue Note 1989 Quintet, with Greg Osby (alto sax), Bobby Hutcherson (vibes), Rufus Reid (bass), Ben Riley (drums)
1990-07,
1990-09
But Not Farewell Blue Note 1991 Two tracks solo piano; one track duo, with Greg Osby (alto sax); most tracks quintet, with Osby (alto sax, soprano sax), Robin Eubanks (trombone), Lonnie Plaxico (bass), Cecil Brooks III (drums)
1993-03 Dreams Come True Joyous Shout! 2008 Duo, with Chico Hamilton (drums, percussion)
1998-02 Les Trinitaires Jazzfriends 1988 Solo piano; in concert
1999-09,
1999-10
Dusk Palmetto 2000 Two tracks solo piano; most tracks sextet, with Marty Ehrlich (bass clarinet, alto sax), Greg Tardy (bass clarinet, tenor sax), Ron Horton (trumpet), Scott Colley (bass), Billy Drummond (drums)
2002-01 A Beautiful Day Palmetto 2002 With big band; in concert
2003-04 The Day the World Stood Still Stunt 2003 With Thomas Agergaard (flute, tenor sax), Peter Fuglsang (clarinet, bass clarinet, alto sax), Liudas Mockunas (clarinet, bass clarinet, soprano sax, baritone sax), Staffan Svensson (trumpet), Klaus Löhrer (bass trombone, tuba), Scott Colley (bass), Nasheet Waits (drums), Lenora Zenzalai Helm (vocals); in concert
2005-06,
2005-07
Time Lines Blue Note 2006 One track solo piano; most tracks quintet, with Greg Tardy (clarinet, bass clarinet, tenor sax), Charles Tolliver (trumpet), John Hebert (bass), Eric McPherson (drums)

Compilations

  • Mosaic Select 16: Andrew Hill (Mosaic)
  • Mosaic Select 23: Andrew Hill-Solo (Mosaic)
  • The Complete Blue Note Andrew Hill Sessions (1963-66) (Mosaic)
  • One for One (Blue Note, 1975)

As Sideman

With Walt Dickerson

  • To My Queen (New Jazz, 1963) – recorded 1962

With Roland Kirk

  • Domino (Mercury, 1962)

With Jimmy Woods

  • Conflict (Contemporary, 1963)

With Hank Mobley

  • No Room for Squares (Blue Note, 1964) – recorded 1963

With Joe Henderson

  • Our Thing (Blue Note, 1964) – recorded 1963

With Bobby Hutcherson

  • Dialogue (Blue Note, 1965)

With Russel Baba

  • Earth Prayer (Ruda Music, 1992)

With Reggie Workman

  • Summit Conference (Postcards, 1994) – recorded 1993

With Greg Osby

  • The Invisible Hand (Blue Note, 2000) – recorded 1999

See also

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