Julius Hemphill : Composer

World Saxophone Quartet

Ji-Ji Tune

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Composition for saxophone quartet (soprano, alto, tenor, and baritone). This piece was originally part of the suite “Wind/Rhythms,” composed for the World Saxophone Quartet’s collaboration with Max Roach & M’Boom, a concert at the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine on June 26, 1981. It was later recorded by the Julius Hemphill Sextet on the posthumous album At Dr. King’s Table (1997), and was published in the Julius Hemphill Saxophone Quartet Collection by Subito Music.

Found on: At Dr. King’s Table. 

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Ink

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Composition for saxophone quartet using woodwind doubling (alto and tenor saxophone, bass clarinet, and baritone saxophone). The instrumental parts in the Julius Hemphill Papers bear the names of the members of the World Saxophone Quartet, though the piece was apparently not recorded by that ensemble. The Julius Hemphill Sextet recorded it on the posthumous album At Dr. King’s Table (1997).

Found on: At Dr. King’s Table.

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Georgia Blue

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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.

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