''Spiral'' is an album by American jazz pianist Andrew Hill, recorded in late 1974 and early 1975 and released on the

Freedom Freedom is understood as either having the ability to act or change without constraint or to possess the power and resources to fulfill one's purposes unhindered. Freedom is often associated with liberty and autonomy in the sense of "giving on ...

label.Andrew Hill discography
accessed October 4, 2010 The album features six of Hill's original compositions and one interpretation of a

jazz standard Jazz standards are musical compositions that are an important part of the musical repertoire of jazz musicians, in that they are widely known, performed, and recorded by jazz musicians, and widely known by listeners. There is no definitive lis ...

performed by a

quartet In music, a quartet or quartette (, , , , ) is an ensemble of four singers or instrumental performers; or a musical composition for four voices and instruments. Classical String quartet In classical music, one of the most common combinations o ...

and quintet. Featured players include saxophonist

Lee Konitz Leon Konitz (October 13, 1927 – April 15, 2020) was an American composer and alto saxophonist. He performed successfully in a wide range of jazz styles, including bebop, cool jazz, and avant-garde jazz. Konitz's association with the cool jazz ...

and trumpeter Ted Curson. The cover incorrectly identifies the album as being recorded at the Montreux Jazz Festival when it actually contains

studio recordings The term studio recording means any Sound recording and reproduction, recording made in a Recording studio, studio, as opposed to a live music, live recording, which is usually made in a concert venue or a theatre, with an audience attending the pe ...

Reception

The Allmusic review by

Scott Yanow Scott Yanow (born October 4, 1954) is an American jazz reviewer, historian, and author.Allmusic Biography/ref> Biography Yanow was born in New York City and grew up near Los Angeles. Since 1974, he was a regular reviewer of many jazz styles an ...

awarded the album 4 stars and stated "Although the music overall does not reach the heights of the pianist's earlier work for Blue Note (or his later sessions), there are enough surprising moments and thought-provoking solos to make this a release worth picking up by open-eared listeners".Yanow, S. Allmusic Reviewaccessed October 4, 2010

Track listing

:''All compositions by Andrew Hill except as indicated'' # "Tomorrow" – 3:30 # "Laverne" – 6:00 # "The Message" – 6:00 # "Invitation" ( Bronisław Kaper) – 7:18 # "Today" – 4:42 # "Spiral" – 9:00 # "Quiet Dawn" – 7:15 :*Recorded at C.I. Recording Studio, New York City on December 20, 1974 (tracks 1-4) and January 20, 1975 (track 5-7)

Personnel

* Andrew Hill – piano * Ted Curson – trumpet,

flugelhorn The flugelhorn (), also spelled fluegelhorn, flugel horn, or flügelhorn, is a brass instrument that resembles the trumpet and cornet but has a wider, more conical bore. Like trumpets and cornets, most flugelhorns are pitched in B, though some ...

pocket trumpet 250px, Pocket trumpet in B-flat, with a standard size bell and medium-large bore The pocket trumpet is a B♭ trumpet that is constructed with the tubing wound into a much smaller coil than a standard trumpet, generally with a smaller diameter ...

(tracks 1-3) *

–

soprano saxophone The soprano saxophone is a higher-register variety of the saxophone, a woodwind instrument invented in the 1840s. The soprano is the third-smallest member of the saxophone family, which consists (from smallest to largest) of the soprillo, sop ...

alto saxophone The alto saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of woodwind instruments. Saxophones were invented by Belgian instrument designer Adolphe Sax in the 1840s and patented in 1846. The alto saxophone is pitched in E, smaller than the B tenor ...

, tenor saxophone (tracks 1-4) * Robin Kenyatta – alto saxophone (tracks 5-7) *

Cecil McBee Cecil McBee (born May 19, 1935) is an American jazz bassist. He has recorded as a leader only a handful of times since the 1970s, but has contributed as a sideman to a number of jazz albums. Biography Early life and career McBee was born in Tu ...

(tracks 1-3),

Stafford James Stafford James (born April 24, 1946) is an American double-bassist and composer.Allmusic/ref> Biography Stafford James was born in Evanston, Illinois. From ages 6 to 11 he was a left handed violinist in the school orchestra. He also possessed d ...

(tracks 5-7) –

bass Bass or Basses may refer to: Fish * Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species Music * Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in the bass range: ** Bass (instrument), including: ** Acoustic bass gui ...

* Barry Altschul (tracks 5-7), Art Lewis (tracks 1-3) –

drums A drum kit (also called a drum set, trap set, or simply drums) is a collection of drums, cymbals, and other Percussion instrument, auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The player (drummer) typically holds a pair o ...

References

{{Authority control Freedom Records albums Andrew Hill albums 1975 albums