AUTUMNAL FINALITY
It's only natural that as Andrew Hill's last studio recordings, Time Lines should elicit the "end-of-an-era" autumnal atmosphere that so many "last time out" jazz albums share. Hill was 73 when this album was recorded, and he had less than 2 years to live. Not that you could tell from listening to these performances, but one can only wonder where this group could have gone next after recording this under-the-radar masterpiece. Unfairly marginalized as a Monk/Powell disciple, Andrew Hill was his own man right up to the very end.
The best way to discuss this album is to look at each player's contributions to the whole, one by one:
Greg Tardy: tenor sax / clarinet / bass clarinet: From his slow, brooding clarinet on the opening "Malachi" to his vicious tenor blasts on the title track, Tardy is this album's biggest and best surprise. His bass clarinet work on "Ry Round 1", "For Emilio", and "Ry Round 2" will draw comparisons to Bennie Maupin.
Charles Tolliver: trumpet: As someone who has listened to Tolliver's 1970 album The Ringer many times, hearing his bright tone on Time Lines was like running into an old friend. His soloing on the first few numbers is somewhat understated, and he doubles contrapuntal lines throughout with Tardy. Don't miss his big, rambunctious moment on "Ry Round 2".
John Hebert: bass: This was my first acquaintance with his playing, and I'm glad the introduction was made. Hebert's vigorous openings on both "Time Lines" and "Smooth" push the group into overdrive, and he joins Tardy's bass clarinet for a duo on "For Emilio".
Eric McPherson: drums: Critics like to dismiss this kind of boundary-pushing virtuosity as "blustery", but his big solo on "For Emilio" will surely remind one of both Jack DeJohnette and Eric Harland.
Andrew Hill: piano: All the material is composed by Andrew, and don't for a moment think his age has slowed him down. Prepare to be amazed as you listen to his stuttering, pounding lines on the title track, his clattering solo on "For Emilio", and his searching intro to "Whitsuntide". His thudding bass piano notes on "Ry Round 2" show how he never "comps" his way through his compositions, but rather adds his own personal punctuation wherever he sees fit. The album closes with a solo piano version of "Malachi", dedicated to Malachi Favors who had recently passed away.
For those who may be new to Andrew's style, this album is probably not the best point of entry. For that I would recommend Dance of Death (recorded 1968, released in 1980), which was my first experience with his exuberant pianism. That being said, Time Lines is much easier going than some of his admittedly difficult mid-1960s albums, such as Compulsion. So if you are familiar with any of the players involved, I can safely say this album is a must-own. Not only that, but I would even go so far as to nominate Time Lines for Jazz Album of the Year, 2006, along with Bennie Maupin's (there's that name again) Penumbra.