Search - Julius Hemphill :: Roi Boye & the Gotham Minstrels

Priceless and Eternal

John C. Graham | toronto, ontario Canada | 12/12/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Julius Hemphill had an extraordinary influence on many of today's jazz/imrovised music players. He had an immediately identifiable sound on all his instruments. Yet, it was the cry of his alto saxophone that always brought my attention closer. It demanded that you listen.



This 2cd set is a solo audio drama of profound invention. Hemphill plays flutes, soprano, sopranino, and alto saxophones. Everything is overdubbed to create an ever changing sound scape. Shifting densities, dramatic passages of whispering flutes, rollicking altos, and the occasional vocal commentary will, by and large, hold any listener spellbound. There is much source/root material to be found here- blues, r&b, soul, and snippets of traditional gospel. It's akin to taking a walk through any inner city in any large urban centre in America.



Julius Hemphill was an exceptionally creative musical talent. His alto playing will always stand out, even amongst today's creative players.

I will always remember that sound, a sound that from hundreds of feet away, and through a mass of dancers, lighting technicians, and stage personnel, pierced my being with such clarity and light.



This one sounds just as good today as the day I first heard it...decades ago."