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.
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.