Andrew Hill – 1963
“Black Fire” was the first of sixteen Andrew Hill Blue Note albums. The title track is relatively straightforward but still has the essence of Hill’s signature style.
Difficulty = Demanding
The rhythm is probably the first thing that stands out here. The emphasis on the downbeat of this 3/4 metre drives the piece forward but it also allows the players a Pulse freedom that is harder to attain with the “squared off” feel of 4/4 (Link).
The A section alternates between I and IV until bar 8 where the IV chord switches function, becoming a temporary V chord for the Db Major in bar 9. This sets up a nice little bridge of chromatic #11 chords until the Ab takes us back to the top.
The B section is declarative. It’s a great example of “Paired Base Camps” (Link) shifting from an indeterminate “f” chord to the same chord a semitone higher.