Andrew Hill - Hartford, CT

[relyles]

Tonight I caught Andrew Hill in the first concert of the Hartford Jazz Society’s Jazz at the Atheneum Series at the Wadsworth Atheneum Aetna Theater in Hartford. With Hill were Greg Tardy on tenor, bassist Brad Jones and drummer Leroy Williams. I confess that when it comes to Andrew Hill I am not altogether objective. He is one of my favorites. I have heard him live about ten times in the past 16 years and I have never been disappointed. This concert was no exception. I got the sense that Hill made an attempt to keep the music somewhat accessible for this audience – most of whom I assume were unfamiliar with Hill’s music. Nonetheless, Hill’s characteristic sense of adventure was on display. Most of the compositions were familiar to any Hillaholic, but the arrangements were entirely different. Everyone played well – in particular Tardy. I have heard him with Hill on three occasions and this was the strongest I have heard him yet. Hill also played a considerable amount of piano, which I have heard he has not done much of recently. He stretched out a bit and always his distinctive playing was just as imaginative as ever. I spoke to Jones briefly after the show and he revealed that this was his first time playing with Hill. At times I did notice him paying close attention to the music sheets as if he were a little confused, but when he enjoyed himself and played he created some strong vamps – which are common in Hill’s music – and interacted very well with the rest of the group. The drummer was decent, but I must confess I would have preferred Nasheet Waits, who I saw play with Hill a little over a year ago.

Overall, a memorable experience right in my backyard. For once I did not have to drive to New York to hear one of my favorites. The next two concerts are in May - Dave Douglas & Vacation Blues with Roswell Rudd, Brad Jones and Barry Altschul; and June - Greg Osby quartet with Megumi Yonezawa, Matthew Brewer and Eric McPherson.. I purchased tickets for the entire series as well as a membership to the jazz society for a total of $71 dollars. A very good deal if you ask me.

[.:.impossible]

Barry Altschul?! Seems he doesn't play out very often anymore. I don't ever see his name. That will be nice.

Hartford is within range from Providence. We saw Matthias Lupri with George Garzone in that series last year, I believe. Is this the glass room with the huge Chihuly installation hanging above?

I was supposed to catch Tisziji Muñoz, John Lockwood, and Bob Moses last night in Arlington, MA, but I couldn't find anyone to go. All last night, I kept wondering what the music was sounding like. Damnit. I almost went by myself.

With the exception of Lockwood, these guys don't play out very often. I don't think Tisziji has ever played in trio before either.

[relyles]

Barry Altschul?! Seems he doesn't play out very often anymore. I don't ever see his name. That will be nice.

Hartford is within range from Providence. We saw Matthias Lupri with George Garzone in that series last year, I believe. Is this the glass room with the huge Chihuly installation hanging above?

No, its not a glass room. Its just a small auditorium downstairs in the museum. Right size for this show, however, since it was not full.

Come on down for the Douglas show on May 22. I go to all these by myself and can use the company.

Edited April 25, 2004 by relyles

[mike casinghino]

impossible, the place with the chihuly chandelier was the autorino great hall,at the bushnell, which is about a mile away from the site of the andrew hill concert, the wadsworth atheneum. the concert you saw was not run by the hartford jazz society, which is bringing us the hill,douglas, and osby concerts.

relyles, i will agree with you, an excellent concert. i have seen hill & tardy once each,before tonight, in seperate groups, and i thought that both played alot better this time. the bass player was pretty good and the drummer was adequate. for anyone not knowing what was being played, it would have been a good idea to give the titles to the numbers. hill did not say anything the whole show, except for the names of the band members three times and one thank you after the third or fourth number in the concert. one last item, normally the hartford jazz society concerts are two sets, this was one set, and a little short, imo. could be the cost of the atheneum theater eliminated one set. (they usually hold their concerts at the, asylum hill congregational church, which is certainly a bit cheaper).

did you go to the randy weston concert, at jackie mclean's artist's collective, the previous saturday? this was an excellent concert. weston on piano, t.k. blue on alto sax & flute, alex blake on bass, victor lewis on drums, and neil clarke on percussion. the play list was: little niles,african sunrise, the shrine, niger mambo, blue moses, and the mystery of love. this was also one set, but definitely longer than the hill concert. curiously enough, though this was a randy weston tribute concert, jackie was nowhere around to give the plaque to mr. weston. ( this was one of a number of tribute concerts, held at the artists collective, where the musician is honored with a plaque, for their contributions to jazz). the next one will be for, ahmad jamal, saturday, june 19th.

i also have tickets for the douglas & osby concerts.

Edited April 25, 2004 by mike casinghino

[relyles]

I really wanted to go to the Weston concert, but I was stuck home with the kids. I knew I would be missing something good. I think Ahmad Jamal is going to be at the Artists Collective sometime soon.

[relyles]

Hill Makes Jazz Connection

By JEFF RIVERS

Courant Staff Writer

April 26 2004

Moments after Saturday's concert, Andrew Hill wondered aloud whether he and his Friends had connected with the audience at the Aetna Theater in Hartford's Wadsworth Atheneum.

Perhaps the pianist and composer was too busy weaving rich musical tapestries from the stage to notice the audience's murmurs of delight, the head bobs, the cries of "woo" or even the standing ovation that followed his performance.

Hill and his musicians - Brad Jones on bass, LeRoy Williams on drums and Greg Tardy on reeds - began to connect with the audience as soon as they drifted into "But Not Farewell," the up-tempo title track from Hill's early 1990s album.

The song set the tone for an evening of spare and purposeful playing by Hill that was supported by the passion of Tardy on sax, Williams' tight and assertive drumming, and Jones' sweet and buoyant sound on bass.

During the 82-minute, eight-song concert, the four men listened intently to one another. Their musical ripostes were always succinct.

Tardy stepped into his solos as if he were Denzel Washington entering a movie scene.

Sometimes, Tardy twisted his torso as he played, as if he sought to layer the audience with notes, much as Hill's compositions are layered with sophisticated and compelling ideas.

Although Hill holds a doctorate from Colgate and has taught at many colleges, his music is free of adornment that showcase the composer's erudition rather than his musicianship.

Saturday night, Hill and his band swung. They played with joy and passion. And they connected with a respectful and sated audience, even if Hill was too busy making outstanding music to notice.

Saturday's concert was the first of three Hartford Jazz Society-sponsored events at the Wadsworth Atheneum. Trumpeter Dave Douglas & Vacation Blues perform May 22, with the Greg Osby 4 on June 12.

Young area musicians open each concert.

On Saturday, despite missing their bassist, who is also their adult instructor, four members of The Greater Hartford Academy Jazz Ensemble played a resourceful set.

[mike casinghino]

they played eight numbers in an 82 minute concert? i don't think so,on either the 8 or 82.

Edited April 27, 2004 by mike casinghino