9 replies to this topic

[Frankie Machine]

Sorry about the late entry; I've been ill and all feverish the last couple of days, so this one slid by me.

Andrew Hill - Passing Ships

Dizzy Reece, Woody Shaw (tp)
Julian Priester (tb)
Bob Northern (frh)
Howard Johnson (tu, bcl)
Joe Farrell (ts, ss, afl, bcl, eh)
Andrew Hill (p)
Ron Carter (b)
Lenny White (d)

VGS, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, November 7 & 14, 1969.


Andrew Hill's Passing Ships is an album that I've been revisiting lately. Aside from Hill's compositions and the sort of heft he manages to get out of a nonet (sounds much bigger than that at times), I'm particularly impressed by the soloists, especially Joe Farrell. And how about Dizzy Reece and Woody Shaw on trumpet? I don't think at the time Hill could have found two better trumpet players.

I'm still a bit under the weather and not necessarily brimming with verbosity, so hopefully you guys can take over from here with your comments.

Edited by Frankie Machine, 13 March 2007 - 12:17 PM.

[Guy]

There's a long thread about this album somewhere in the archives.

I enjoy hearing Hill in a larger ensemble. I should probably check out A Beautiful Day, I suppose.

Guy

[Frankie Machine]

There's a long thread about this album somewhere in the archives.

I enjoy hearing Hill in a larger ensemble. I should probably check out A Beautiful Day, I suppose.

Guy

I was surprised to discover that prior to my post, Grass Roots was the only other Hill album to have been discussed in an AOTW thread. I'm sure you can find an archived discussion of just about any record if you bothered to look, but it's always nice to invite fresh discussion. You gain the insight from those who weren't on board the first go 'round, as well as from those who might hear something different in the record they didn't hear to begin with.

Edited by Frankie Machine, 13 March 2007 - 09:02 PM.

[Free For All]

Almost 12 hours into the thread and no sign of the Rooster. Hope he's OK.

"Future Passed", was it, RT?

[Shrdlu]

After what Clementine said the other day, you sure you want to pick an Andrew Hill?

No problem as far as I'm concerned, though I still prefer the 1964-66 sessions.

[Rooster_Ties]

To put it short and sweet, "Passing Ships" is probably my favorite out of all his '67-'70 dates.

It grooves at times, but it's still Hill in every way. The arrangements always blow me away every time I listen -- with two or three of the tunes easily sounding like a group with at least twice as many horns.

AND -- bonus!! -- it's got Woody Shaw. What's more not to love??

Passing Ships, and Black Fire, are probably Hill's two finest hours.

[sidewinder]

Second the comments about 'Passing Ships'.

A bit rough in spots, and some of the arrangements sound like sketches that are still being worked out - but some of the music is of great beauty.

Rooster is right about the big sound that Hill got out of this ensemble. Sort of reminds me a bit of Hank Mobley's 'A Slice of the Top' in the way that the tuba is used to fill out the ensemble. Not often either you hear a cor anglais on mid-sized groups of this type.

Lenny White in this group is also a revelation to me.

Edited by sidewinder, 15 March 2007 - 01:25 AM.

[andybleaden]

This for me was one of those lucky to be here when it came out records as it was a lovely surprise for me.

The LP itself I think is certainly one of the strongest I have heard with him on and all respect to the person with the wisdom to get this out at last. A risk but well worth payng and a good example for others no doubt.

[mikeweil]

Lenny White in this group is also a revelation to me.

What an amazing talent, considering that this album and Bitches Brew were his first two sessions, and that the basic traits of his style were firmly in place even then. When he plays a groove but with his special kind of looseness, I find it very attractive.

I like Hill's writing for larger groups very much. Played this to Mr. Bassman recently (he was amazed at how many sessions with different styles Lenny did), and he was puzzled at this unorthodox approach to large ensemble writing.

[six string]

Great choice. I've been away for a week and now I've consumed a large bottle of Raven's Eye Stout from Eel River (9.5%), so I'll wait to post comments. Andrew Hill is one of my favorite jazz composers.