Theo Hill Archive

Theo Hill – Promethean  – Posi-Tone 

by Audiophile Audition | Dec 15, 2017 | Jazz CD Reviews

Theo Hill – Promethean [TrackList follows] – Posi-Tone PR8168, 54:23 [5/12/17] ****: Generational jazz from pianist Theo Hill. (Theo Hill – piano; Yasushi Nakamura – bass; Mark Whitfield, Jr. – drums) Want to hear the next generation of piano jazz with a solid dose of tradition? Then you need pianist Theo Hill’s sophomore album, the 54-minute Promethean. Over the course of 11 tunes (one original and ten covers), Hill showcases his enthusiasm, his impressive keyboard skills and his vibrant way with jazz standards, classics and adaptations. In 2015 the New York City-based Hill released his debut, Theo Hill Quartet: Live at Smalls. Hill is back with a trio outing with bassist Yasushi Nakamura (his résumé includes the Mark Whitfield Family Band and stage work with Joe Lovano and Dave Liebman) and drummer Mark Whitfield, Jr., the son of guitarist Mark Whitfield (Whitfield is the only hold-over from Hill’s first album). The threesome open with a sprightly rendition of Bobby Timmons’ “This Here,” a soulful and up-beat composition Timmons penned for Cannonball Adderley. In Hill’s hands, “This Here” has a Horace Silver-esque tint with lots of action on the piano, while Whitfield and Nakamura supply a bouncing cadence. Pianists are a […]