by Editor
Composition for alto saxophone, guitar, bass, and drums. The professionally copied parts in the Julius Hemphill Papers indicate that it was originally written as a trio for saxophone, cello, and drums, the configuration in which it was recorded on Live from the New Music Cafe (1992). A guitar is included in the arrangement recorded by the JAH band on Georgia Blue (1984).
Found on: Georgia Blue, Live from the New Music Cafe.
by Editor
This is one of Hemphill’s most frequently recorded and performed works. The archive includes various scores and parts, including a short score in holograph for alto saxophone, trumpet, cello, and bass in Music Manuscript Notebook 3. It was first recorded during the sessions for Dogon A.D. (1972), though it was not released until his next album, ’Coon Bid’ness (1975). Hemphill arranged “The Hard Blues” for big band in 1980 for performances at the Public Theatre in New York City, which are documented on archival recordings. The piece was also included in “Last Supper at Uncle Tom’s Cabin / The Promised Land,” in a version for saxophone sextet later recorded by the Julius Hemphill Sextet. Also see “Hardening.”
From Marty Ehrlich: On the recording session that produced Dogon A.D., Hemphill recorded more music than could fit on one recording, including this piece. He released it four years later on ’Coon Bid’ness. He also performed this work with his JAH band and other small groups with rhythm section.
Found on: ’Coon Bid’ness, Dogon A.D. 2011, Georgia Blue, Fat Man and the Hard Blues, The Hard Blues: Live in Lisbon.
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
This piece was first recorded on Hemphill’s debut album, Dogon A.D. (1972) with alto saxophone, trumpet, cello, and drums. Hemphill arranged it for various instrumental ensembles over the course of his career, and the archive contains many different scores and parts in Hemphill’s hand.
Music Manuscript Notebook 2 (MMN2) includes a score titled “Original Dogon A.D.” for alto saxophone, trumpet, vibraphone, and drums. Hemphill arranged the piece for twelve-piece big band in 1980, a performance documented on archival recordings, and he added strings for the piece’s performance in Long Tongues: A Saxophone Opera.
The JAH band recorded a version titled “Dogon II” on the album Georgia Blue (1984), with alto saxophone, guitar, electric bass, drums, and percussion.
Found on: Dogon A.D., Dogon A.D. (2011 expanded reissue), Georgia Blue, Live from the New Music Cafe.
From Marty Ehrlich: This is arguably Hemphill’s most famous composition. He performed and recorded at least two different versions of “Dogon A.D.” with his JAH Band, whose original instrumentation was alto saxophone, guitar, electric bass, drums, and percussion. This group recorded the piece as “Dogon II” on the album Georgia Blue (1984), from a live performance at the Willisau Jazz Festival in Switzerland. For the band’s next tour, Hemphill got rid of percussion and added a second guitarist, Bill Frisell. In a phone conversation in 2018, guitarist Nels Cline recalled that Hemphill composed the new guitar part at a piano in Switzerland during a six-week tour of Europe in 1985, and that the part was written for Frisell to play as an answer to the melody, which Hemphill and Cline performed. Cline reported that he always played the melody of “Dogon A.D.” with Hemphill, with Frisell playing the answer part.
The big band version of “Dogon,” with an introduction and with backgrounds for the solo sections added, was premiered at the New Jazz at the Public series at the Public Theatre on November 1, 1980.
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.