Hill learned in 2004 that he had lung cancer; fighting it every step of the way, he continued making his fantastic and ever-forward-charging music, causing NPR to note that "Hill still creates music as if his best work is ahead of him.” Despite his conviction and his deep progress with records such as Time Lines and transcendent live performances, Hill played his last live date in New York City on March 29, 2007. Less than two weeks later, the prestigious Berklee College of Music announced that it would award Hill an honorary doctorate in music at its May 12 commencement ceremony; sadly, Hill would survive only nine more days after that announcement.
I, personally, feel great loss at the departure of one of the greatest pianists and composer/arrangers of the past several decades, and will forever kick myself for having passed up an opportunity to see Hill perform in Baltimore last December. And yet I know that I will cherish his music, and continue to find more delights and surprises in it, for at least another several decades. This, I hope, is the greatest testimony to Hill's genius, and one can only hope that effusive thanks - and hope that Andrew Hill now finds himself in a better place - can cover his enormous contribution to music.
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Article comments
1 - Pico
Wow, sad news. He finally started getting his due in recent years, but perhaps still not enough. His legacy will continue to grow in the coming years, though, I feel pretty certain of that.
Hill's works has sometimes been so dense I had a hard time absorbing it, but I could tell that it was something much more sophisticated than what could easily be understood. Recently I finally had the occasion to listen to Compulsion after being familiar with (and reviewing) Nels Cline's version of the title song and found it to be very advanced and out of the box, like much of his Blue Noters. It's not surprising that a guy like Cline admires Hill's music.
Very nice tribute, Michael.
2 - Fred Stark
I am very sad this great musician/composer has
passed away. I first listened to his music in the late '70s with the reissues from 1970. I have been
a teacher so I can appreciate the value of mentoring
the students. I am a person with a physical disability as Andrew Hill was, and I know the challenges he faced dealing with those issues. I am
grateful I was able to see him in June 2006 once again.
3 - ken
A great appreciation of Hill and far more factual and insightful than the ones circulating on the AP Wire. Hill was a great pianist and composer.
4 - Leslie Bohn
Oh, yes, Mr. West, this was well-written and shows a real in-depth knowledge of the music. Your essay gets across the idea that AH's approach to the music was thoughtful and experimental and intellectual " serious.
That amazing flurry of five or six Blue Note albums from late 63 and 64 is just brimming with ideas, as you eloquently say. All are, as they say, "highly recommended." Your favorite seems to be Point of Departure, which only edges out IMHO Black Fire by a nose. Almost anything with Dolphy in that period is a treasure, too.
His recent comeback was welcome; I saw him a couple years ago at Lincoln Center and he was very very sharp, picking out fast ripping runs that cut through the big room.
What are your musical thoughts about the big comeback allbum Dusk, Mr. West and his late playing?
5 - Michael J. West
Thanks for your comments, Ken and Leslie!
Leslie, I actually prefer Black Fire myself; I've had "Subterfuge" in my head every day since I wrote the article. I focus on Point of Departure in the article because it's his best-known. Also, it features the most "all-star" lineup of his career.
Dusk is a hard album to argue with, too. It felt like both a summation of his classic '60s Blue Note work in a lot of places, but in others as though it was thrusting forward into the future (especially "15/8"). And the unaccompanied piano stuff? Beautiful. It was the best he'd done in years...
...until Time Lines came out last year. That was a marvel - the songs were so beautiful, but the arrangements and the orchestrations were so--I guess "pointillistic" is the word.
That actually might be a good way to look at his late work, Leslie, since you ask - though he'd gained such mastery over that melodic/harmonic rainbow on piano and in composition that he turned his attention to innovating the arrangements.
6 - Maxim
I've discovered music by Andrew Hill quite recently but almost instantly fell in love with it. Since then i've absorbed his every work I could find. "Black fire" was the first acquaintance but then there have been "Passing ships", "Andrew!!!", "Judgment", "Dance with death" and "Dusk". Some songs like "Passing ships" or "Pumpkin" from Black Fire make my eyes watery )) I know and can easily explain what makes Andrew absolutely unique even among the great. It is his superb melodic talant + distinctive piano style + ever fresh approach to arrangement. His music perfectly balances melody and improvisation without becoming cheezy or too abstract.
I greatly regret his passing. Which is particularly sad news now as i was looking for Mr. Hill's contact info hoping to invite him to give a performance in my country.