Julius Hemphill : Composer

Editor

Pillars Latino

by

Composition for saxophone quartet (soprano, alto, tenor, and baritone), recorded by the World Saxophone Quartet on W.S.Q. (1980). There are parts in holograph in the archive. This work was published in the Julius Hemphill Quartet Collection by Subito Music.

Found on: W.S.Q.

From Marty Ehrlich: This composition starts with a series of chords played in a rhythmic pyramid. Hemphill takes the lead melody on alto in letter D, then gives it to the soprano, played by Oliver Lake. This is a technique Hemphill often used when voicing soprano and alto sax within the quartet.

Return to Annotated Composition List.

Pigskin

by

Composition for alto saxophone, guitar, bass, and drums. The archive includes a score and a guitar part, as well as professionally copied parts in manuscript for alto saxophone, guitar, and bass. There is an archival recording from 1984 of the JAH Band playing “Pigskin” with this instrumentation. “Pigskin” is also the basis for one of the movements in the big-band suite “Drunk on God.” For the recording of “Drunk on God” for Julius Hemphill Big Band (1988), this movement is renamed “Motion as the Terrible Language of the Future.” Hemphill rewrote the last four measures of “Pigskin” for the big-band version, as indicated on one of the alto saxophone parts in the Julius Hemphill Papers.

Found on: Julius Hemphill Big Band.

From Marty Ehrlich: Julius played football in high school and was a big fan. He once said to me, “everyone is into football in Texas.” Thus the title, Pigskin.

Return to Annotated Composition List.

Pensive

by

Composition recorded twice in May 1976, once with an ensemble of alto saxophone, guitar, cello, drums, and percussion (on the album Wildflowers 4), and once with alto saxophone and cello (on the duo album with Abdul Wadud, Live in New York). The Julius Hemphill Papers has parts in holograph for tenor saxophone and trumpet, indicating possible performance by other ensembles as well.

Found on: Wildflowers 4: The New York Loft Jazz Sessions, Live in New York.

From Marty Ehrlich: There is no cello part in the archive, but a full score could be made if Abdul Wadud’s part were transcribed from recording. This slow melody, a kind of open ballad, fits its title perfectly.

Return to Annotated Composition List.

Painter, The

by

Composition for flute, trumpet, cello, and percussion, recorded on Hemphill’s debut album Dogon A.D. (1972). The Julius Hemphill Papers includes parts for cello–in holograph and professionally copied, with annotations from the cellist–but no full score.

Found on: Dogon A.D., Dogon A.D. (2011 Reissue).

From Marty Ehrlich: This work is a tribute to the painter Oliver Jackson, who was a member of the Black Artist Group and a close artistic colleague of Hemphill. Hemphill’s solo introduction to the piece on the recording is another example of his unique and soulful creativity on the flute.

Return to Annotated Composition List.