Hemphill: At Harmony

Description

At Harmony gets its start in the 1970s, with its propulsive riff and leaping melody played at "as fast as possible" tempo, leading into vigorous open improvisation. When Julius re-conceives the work for his big band contexts in 1980 and 1988, he adds a composed intro, slows the melody down, and harmonizes the 24-measure melody with a harmonic progression used as the solo form. He adds backgrounds to this solo form, and he adds a vigorous eight-measure "band break." The work is a virtuosic showcase for the ensemble and the soloists.