Jazz collectors know that they owe Michael Cuscuna a major debt for his work in uncovering masterpieces, particularly for his magnificent Mosaic box sets. The three-CD Mosaic Select series recently spawned Andrew Hill – Solo. Of the 14 selections (all but four are over 10 minutes long) that Hill performed during Aug.-Oct. 1978, only two were previously released. His thoughtful out-of-tempo ruminations are filled with original ideas and creative brilliance. The two versions of “California Tinge” are somewhat catchy in spots.
Also from Mosaic Select is a box featuring all of the Blue Note studio albums of the Tony Williams Quintet (Civilization, Angel Street, Native Heart and The Story of Neptune) plus the slightly earlier Foreign Intrigue. Williams played hard bop his way during 1985-94, really pushing trumpeter Wallace Roney, tenor-saxophonist Bill Pierce, pianist Mulgrew Miller and either Charnett Moffett, Robert Hurst or Ira Coleman on bass.
