Rodney Whitaker

Mosaic: the Music of Gregg Hill

Origin

Composer Gregg Hill has to be one the most prolific of our time. Acclaimed bassist and educator Rodney Whitaker’s Mosaic: the Music of Gregg Hill is his fourth collaboration with the composer. Trombonist Michael Dease has issued two collaborative recordings and recently the pianist in this group, Rick Roe, issued one of his own. Guitarist Randy Napoleon also issued Puppets with the music of Hill. There may be even more as it’s hard to keep track. Mosaic features Whitaker’s working band, essentially the classic all-acoustic jazz quintet with a two horn front line of the esteemed trumpeter Terell Stafford and saxophonist Tim Warfield. Joining Whitaker and Roe in the rhythm section is drummer Dana Hall with Whitaker’s daughter, Rochelle Whitaker, on vocals for four tracks, three of which where she wrote the lyrics. Rodney arranged all ten of these HIll compositions.

The opening pensive title track is representative of Hill’s unusual chord progressions, shifting tempos, and generally swinging soundscapes. Pensiveness soon gives way to outright, blissful swing with the solos of Stafford and Warfield on soprano.  The baton next goes to Roe who also swings mightily, passing next the leader before the band reprises the contemplative opening strains. Rochelle sings Randy Napoleon’s lyrics with stunning stunning effect on “Unknown Ballade,” punctuated by Warfield’s lyrical soprano,  robust bass, and Roe’s shimmering piano. Stafford delivers a riveting bebop like excursion in his brief turn. Rochelle’s returns to display her remarkable vocal range. “Caxilever” is edgier, evoking the likes of Mingus and Ornette yet deeply swinging as well as Warfield is on tenor along with Stafford. The pairing may call to mind Ornette and Don Cherry or Mingus’s Booker Ervin/Booker Little tandem. “Katie’s Tune” is a free flowing, mid-tempo piece featuring Warfield’ soaring soprano Stafford’s expressive trumpet over an Afro-Cuban rhythm, a favored Whitaker tendency.

As those five pieces prove, it is not easy to label a Gregg Hill tune. While it is relatively to easy to identify some composers such as Monk, Mingus, and even to some degree Wayne Shorter, HIll’s music is a melting pot of influences throughout the jazz spectrum. His ability to balance intricate, note-specific melodies with expansive, chordal frameworks creates a dynamic platform for exploration through improvisation.  A prime example of such is the merging of several time signatures within the same piece as he does on “Moonscape,” employing 6/8, 12/8, and 4/4 rhythms which though challenging, vocalist Rochelle proves her mettle, inspired by the solos of her band mates. Roe and Stafford shine especially. Hill is a sense of humor and unpredictability too. You can hear the band flirting with the boogaloo riffs of soul jazz on  the standout “Ray-Dias.”  The tune quickly morphs into deep swinging hard bop, Stafford seemingly quoting his heroes Lee Morgan and Freddie Hubbard in his blistering solo. Warfield, again on soprano, leads the band through a number of rubato sequences before the piece slows to a crawl midway through. Roe begins deliberately, gradually building back the tempo for the bassist’s declarative turn, before the soul jazz theme closes it out.

Rochelle returns fro “Still Life with Tuba,” the band sounding at times like Max Roach’s classic ensemble with Abbey Lincoln. Stafford and Warfield’s lyricism flourishes, underpinned by Rodney’s ever on-the-mark bass lines.  By the way, “Still Life with Tuba,” “Moonscape,” and “Unknown Ballade” all appeared on Randy Napoleon’s Puppets. “Sloe Gin Fizz” presents another interesting Hill chord progression over which these soloists swing intensely, spurred on by Roe’s piano and the locked in chemistry of Whitaker and Hall. Ms. Whitaker sings brilliantly on the tender ballad “Stargazer.” Given the Detroit area backgrounds of some of the group, closer “Sunday Special” brims with a special kind of Motor City soul, as traces of blues and soul thread through the piece. The quintet sounds as if they are right at home in a Woodward Avenue joint like Baker’s Lounge, the leader encapsulating it all with his melodic solo.

The stature of the these players is on the top level so we’d expect nothing less than a superb performance. Couple that with Hill’s compositions and Whitaker’s arrangements, this is straight ahead jazz of the highest caliber.

– Jim Hynes

BUY NOW

Buy Us a Cup of Coffee!

Join the movement in supporting Making a Scene, the premier independent resource for both emerging musicians and the dedicated fans who champion them.

We showcase this vibrant community that celebrates the raw talent and creative spirit driving the music industry forward. From insightful articles and in-depth interviews to exclusive content and insider tips, Making a Scene empowers artists to thrive and fans to discover their next favorite sound.

Together, let’s amplify the voices of independent musicians and forge unforgettable connections through the power of music

You can donate directly through Paypal!

Subscribe to Our Newsletter