Blue Black

Andrew Hill's Blue Black was one of a series of recordings that he made during the 1970s for the Japanese label East Wind. This 1975 session consists of five challenging originals; joining the pianist are saxophonist Jimmy Vass, bassist Chris White, and drummer Leroy Williams. "Golden Spook" is a dense, moody composition full of twists. The somewhat delicate "Mist Flower" showcases Vass on flute, contrasting with the furious "Remnants," a post-bop vehicle leaning toward free jazz. "Blue Black," with Vass playing soprano sax, has a Caribbean rhythm but with wild solos by both Hill and Vass. The final track, "One For," is easily the most conventional post-bop song of the session, though it is no less demanding upon Hill's musicians. Long out of print, Test of Time finally reissued this desirable recording session as a CD in 2005. ~ Ken Dryden