W.S.Q.

Composition for alto saxophone, trumpet, cello, bass, and guitar, also arranged for saxophone quartet (two alto, tenor, and baritone), recorded by the World Saxophone Quartet on W.S.Q. (1981). The Julius Hemphill Papers has various instrumental parts for these different versions and a photocopy of the score for the background parts, but no full score.

Found on: W.S.Q.

From Marty Ehrlich: If you combine the long eighth note line in the trumpet part in the A section with the “background score,” you get the material of this composition, whether it be for saxophone quartet or small group. In the small group, Hemphill wrote a chord progression of dominant seventh chords changing every two beats. Baikida Carroll includes “Plain Song” in his list of pieces from the Hemphill Quartet/Quintet repertoire in his notebook of trumpet parts in the Julius Hemphill Papers.

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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.

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