by Editor
Composition for saxophone sextet (three alto, two tenor, and baritone), with score in holograph and parts likely in the hand of a member of Hemphill’s saxophone sextet. This piece is included in the Julius Hemphill Saxophone Sextet Collection published by Subito Music.
Found on: Fat Man and the Hard Blues.
by Editor
This composition was performed and recorded with several different ensembles, including the World Saxophone Quartet, the Julius Hemphill Sextet, the Julius Hemphill Trio (alto saxophone, cello, and drums), and the JAH Band (alto saxophone, bass, guitar, drums, and percussion). The earliest commercial recording of the song comes from the JAH Band’s album Georgia Blue (1984). The Julius Hemphill Papers includes various parts, as well as scores for saxophone quartet (solo alto, alto, tenor, and baritone) and saxophone sextet (solo alto, soprano, alto, two tenor, and baritone). This composition was incorporated into the large-scale work “Long Tongues: A Saxophone Opera,” from which the sextet version was made. It is also included in the Julius Hemphill Saxophone Sextet Collection published by Subito Music.
Found on: Georgia Blue, Live at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Live from the New Music Cafe, Five Chord Stud, Live at Kassiopeia.
From Marty Ehrlich: Hemphill wrote this piece in honor of dancer Joanne Robinson. He performed it extensively with his JAH band and other small groups.
Near the end of his life, Hemphill could no longer perform on saxophone for a whole concert. The Julius Hemphill Saxophone Sextet became a Septet, with Julius playing some solos from his wheel chair. Tim Berne and Andy Laster joined the ensemble to round out the alto section with Sam Furnace and myself. On our last sextet recording under Julius’ leadership, Five Chord Stud, Julius was in the studio directing us. I was to play his two solo features, “Spiritual Chairs,” and “Georgia Blue,” and the solo alto part for “Georgia Blue” did not have chord changes written in. Knowing I would be playing this work and taking an improvised chorus over the ensemble arrangement, I had asked Julius prior to the session if he had a lead sheet for the chords. We were in his apartment, where he was mostly bedridden. He gave me the changes right then, from his memory, according to measure numbers and lengths. His great mental acuity and full command of his musical language was always there and always inspiring.
by Editor
Composition first recorded as a trio with soprano saxophone, cello, and percussion, on the album Raw Materials and Residuals (1977). The Julius Hemphill Papers includes various parts, as well as a score with this title that differs substantially from the recording. See also Music Manuscript Notebooks 6 and 10. The archive includes a recording of this piece with an unknown tenor saxophone player.
Found on: Raw Materials and Residuals.
From Marty Ehrlich: As notated, G Song is a bass line/melody that evokes a child’s song as much as it is a riff evoking the country blues. As realized on Raw Materials and Residuals, it is a composition in four sections. Perhaps the full composition was realized in the recording studio. It is a stellar example of the way Hemphill conceived a broad, expressive work, pan-stylistic and multi-sectional, and brought it to life through the individual voices of his brilliant collaborators.
by Editor
Composition for saxophone quartet (two alto, tenor, and baritone), recorded by the World Saxophone Quartet on the album Live in Zurich (1984). The archive includes parts in holograph.
Found on: Live in Zurich.
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by Editor
Composition for saxophone quartet (alto, two tenor, and baritone). The Julius Hemphill Papers include a score and individual parts, as well as another set of parts featuring the piece’s melody with chord changes.
From Marty Ehrlich: A recording of this piece may be found in the archival collection as part of the recording session for the World Saxophone Quartet album Revue (1982), but it was not included on the commercial release. See Cuid20702 in the list of Archival Audiovisual Material.
The Julius Hemphill Papers is an archival collection at New York University. The collection contains scores, audiovisual documentation, and other material related to the life and career of composer and saxophonist Julius Hemphill. Materials are accessible by appointment. Click here to learn more.