The Hearinga Suite
Encyclopedia
The Hearinga Suite is an album by Muhal Richard Abrams
released on the Italian Black Saint
label in 1989 and features performances of seven of Abrams compositions by an eighteen member orchestra. Abrams dedicated the music on the album to Steve McCall
and Raphael Donald Garrett. The Allmusic review by Scott Yanow
states "Throughout this very interesting set, Abrams shows how a big band can logically be utilized in freer forms of jazz".
awarded the album 4½ stars stating "Pianist Muhal Richard Abrams leads an 18-piece orchestra on his seven originals that make up the Hearinga Suite. Much of the music is quite adventurous, although "Oldfotalk" is fairly conventional. Although the personnel includes such fine players as trumpeters Jack Walrath and Cecil Bridgewater and saxophonists John Purcell and Marty Ehrlich, the emphasis is on group interplay and the colorful arrangements. Throughout this very interesting set, Abrams shows how a big band can logically be utilized in freer forms of jazz. ".
Muhal Richard Abrams
Muhal Richard Abrams is an American educator, administrator, composer, arranger, clarinetist, cellist, and jazz pianist in the Free jazz medium. Abrams compresses both contemporary and traditional ideas into lean, elegant pieces.- Biography :Abrams attended DuSable High School in Chicago...
released on the Italian Black Saint
Black Saint/Soul Note
Black Saint and Soul Note are two affiliated Italian jazz independent record labels. Since their conception in the 1970s, they have released albums from a variety of influential jazz musicians, particularly in the genre of free jazz.-History:...
label in 1989 and features performances of seven of Abrams compositions by an eighteen member orchestra. Abrams dedicated the music on the album to Steve McCall
Steve McCall (drummer)
Steve McCall was an American jazz drummer.McCall was born in Chicago and began his career there in the 1950s. One of his early gigs was playing behind blues singer Lucky Carmichael. McCall befriended Muhal Richard Abrams in 1961, and went on to be one of the founders of the AACM in 1965...
and Raphael Donald Garrett. The Allmusic review by Scott Yanow
Scott Yanow
Scott Yanow is an American jazz commentator, known for many contributions to the Allmusic website, for writing ten books on jazz and for reviewing jazz recordings for over 30 years.-Biography:...
states "Throughout this very interesting set, Abrams shows how a big band can logically be utilized in freer forms of jazz".
Reception
The Allmusic review by Scott YanowScott Yanow
Scott Yanow is an American jazz commentator, known for many contributions to the Allmusic website, for writing ten books on jazz and for reviewing jazz recordings for over 30 years.-Biography:...
awarded the album 4½ stars stating "Pianist Muhal Richard Abrams leads an 18-piece orchestra on his seven originals that make up the Hearinga Suite. Much of the music is quite adventurous, although "Oldfotalk" is fairly conventional. Although the personnel includes such fine players as trumpeters Jack Walrath and Cecil Bridgewater and saxophonists John Purcell and Marty Ehrlich, the emphasis is on group interplay and the colorful arrangements. Throughout this very interesting set, Abrams shows how a big band can logically be utilized in freer forms of jazz. ".
Track listing
- "Hearinga" - 5:11
- "Conversations With the Three of Me" - 5:45
- "Seesall" - 5:28
- "Aura of Thought- Things" - 4:36
- "Oldfotalk" - 6:43
- "Finditnow" - 6:27
- "Bermix" - 6:55
- All compositions by Muhal Richard Abrams
- Recorded January 17 & 18, 1989 at A & R Recording Studios, New York City
Personnel
- Ron Tooley - trumpet
- Jack WalrathJack WalrathJack Walrath is an American post-bop jazz trumpeter and musical arranger known for his work with Ray Charles, Gary Peacock, Charles Mingus and Glenn Ferris, among others....
- trumpet - Cecil BridgewaterCecil Bridgewater-Biography:Bridgewater was born in Urbana, Illinois and studied at the University of Illinois. He and brother Ron formed the Bridgewater Brothers Band in 1969, and in the 1970s he was married to Dee Dee Bridgewater. In 1970 he played with Horace Silver, and following this with Thad Jones and Mel...
- trumpet - Frank Gordon - trumpet
- Clifton AndersonClifton AndersonClifton Anderson is an American jazz musician, a trombone player. He grew up surrounded by music. His father was a church organist /choir director, and his mother a singer and pianist. It was no surprise that Clifton exhibited an affinity for music at an early age...
- trombone - Dick GriffinDick GriffinDick Griffin is an American trombonist known for his work in free jazz, especially with Rahsaan Roland Kirk, the Sun Ra Arkestra, and Charles Mingus...
- trombone - Jack Jeffers - bass trombone
- Bill Lowe - bass trombone
- John PurcellJohn Purcell (musician)John Raymond Purcell is an American jazz saxophonist.-Biography:Purcell was raised in Westchester, New York, where he started on French horn before switching to saxophone. He attended the Manhattan School of Music, achieving his master's degree in 1978, then formed a 22-piece ensemble based in...
- flute, clarinet, tenor saxophone - Marty EhrlichMarty EhrlichMarty Ehrlich is a multi-instrumentalist and is considered one of the leading figures in experimental or avant-garde jazz....
- piccolo, flute, clarinet, alto saxophone - Patience Higgins - bass clarinet, tenor saxophone
- Courtnay Winter - bassoon, bass clarinet, tenor saxophone
- Charles DavisCharles Davis (saxophonist)Charles Davis is an American jazz baritone saxophonist who performed extensively with Archie Shepp and Sun Ra, among others.-Biography:...
- baritone saxophone, soprano saxophone - Diedre MurrayDiedre MurrayDiedre Murray is an American cellist and composer specializing in jazz, improvised music, opera, and contemporary classical music. She is also active as a producer, and curator...
- cello - Fred HopkinsFred HopkinsFred Hopkins was a Chicago double bassist who played a major role in the development of the avant-garde jazz movement. He was a member of the avant garde jazz trio Air and David Murray's Low Class Conspiracy; he frequently worked with the cellist Diedre Murray...
- bass - Warren SmithWarren Smith (jazz musician)Warren Smith is an American jazz percussionist.Smith was born in Chicago, Illinois, into a musical family; his father played saxophone and clarinet with Noble Sissle and Jimmy Noone, and his mother was a harpist and pianist. He studied clarinet under his father from age four...
- glockenspiel, vibes, percussion - Andrew CyrilleAndrew CyrilleAndrew Charles Cyrille is an avant-garde jazz drummer.Cyrille was born in Brooklyn, New York into a family with a mother from Haiti. He began studying science at St...
- drums - Muhal Richard AbramsMuhal Richard AbramsMuhal Richard Abrams is an American educator, administrator, composer, arranger, clarinetist, cellist, and jazz pianist in the Free jazz medium. Abrams compresses both contemporary and traditional ideas into lean, elegant pieces.- Biography :Abrams attended DuSable High School in Chicago...
- piano, synthesizer, conductor