Composition for saxophone sextet. Originally part of the dance performance “Last Supper at Uncle Tom’s Cabin / The Promised Land,” the piece was recorded on the posthumous album At Dr. King’s Table (1997). [Score?]
Found on: At Dr. King’s Table.
Compositions F-L
Four
Composition for alto saxophone, trumpet, bass, and drums, found in Music Manuscript Notebook 1 (MMN1). The archive also includes parts in holograph for trumpet, alto saxophone, bass, and cello. Some scores or parts for this piece in the Hemphill Papers are stylized as “#Four.” The drum part is indicated in the score with the instruction “Drums, parade beat.” This composition appears to be part of the four-part suite One Two Three Four, though it was performed separately as well. See also “One Two Three Four.” It is documented in the archive in a performance with the cello and bass parts taken by bass clarinet and bassoon.
From Marty Ehrlich: Baikida Carroll told me recently that the piece is to be played uptempo. After composing this work for a trio of alto saxophone, trumpet, and drums, Hemphill added a bass part. I played this part on bass clarinet in the concert at the Creative Music Studio in 1978.
For Billie
Composition, written in honor of Billie Holiday, which Hemphill arranged for several different ensembles throughout his career. The archive includes several scores and sets of parts.
There is a score for alto saxophone with chord notations, as well as a version for big band, a later extension of this big-band arrangement, and an arrangement for trumpet, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, French horn, guitar, bass, and percussion. The big band version was first performed at the Public Theatre in New York City in 1980 and was later recorded, with slightly different instrumentation, on Julius Hemphill Big Band (1988).
Found on: Julius Hemphill Big Band, Oakland Duets.
From Marty Ehrlich: On a personal note, Julius plays so beautifully on this piece on the 1988 recording. It is some of his most striking alto playing in a song form context, straight from the heart. After we recorded this tune, [reed player] John Stubblefield said to Julius, “You put another wrinkle on Bird!” Julius smiled, and I know how much that meant to him coming from such a player and long-time friend.
For Andrew
Composition for saxophone sextet (solo tenor, soprano, two alto, tenor, and baritone). See “Long Tongues: A Saxophone Opera.”
Fly Dance
Fragmentary score in Hemphill’s hand. There is a twenty-four-measure melody for flute, as well as the handwritten indication, “tenor.”