In Memoriam: Bobby Hutcherson

How can a tone be played with so much gravity (in the sense of dignity and moderation, close to the word gravity) and weight, and at the same time of such mobility and fluid quality? Bobby Hutcherson could play such sounds. He had the ability to immediately bully the listener with his notes. His lines are real masterpieces in the structure, convey something infinitely deep, carry a secret, emerge from a deeper layer of consciousness. There are few musicians who have this hypnotic strength in their sound, in their playing - John Coltrane comes naturally to my mind.
Let us listen to the piece "Verse" from the album "Stick - Up!", Which Hutcherson recorded for the label Blue Note at the young age of 27. The piece begins rubato with long sustained notes over changing harmonies with a fixed, lingering bass. The notes of the vibraphone, the piano chords, of MyCoy Tyner (the perfect playmate for Hutcherson - a soul-mate) played in tremolo and the stupendous whirls of Billy Higgins on the cymbals open the piece with a dense, orchestral sound. The melody is performed with great calm, the pauses breathe this rest. The intro ends with accented chords, played by all the musicians, and leads directly into the slow 3/4 swing. In his solo on two chords, Hutcherson stretches a large bow, begins with repetitive phrases, and later develops longer melodies with more halftones. The band accompanies the solo with the greatest attention, spirit and verve. Billy Higgins orchestrates the event with a big cymbal sound and heavy sidestick wood sounds. I mention this piece so extensively, because I try to show with my description that many important elements of Bobby Hutcherson's game are already laid out here.
I would like to describe Hutcherson's sound as follows: a solid, solid nucleus which is imprinted in space and time. Around this core there is a very mobile bowl. It adapts to all conceivable forms; Timely-rhythmic, tonal-melodic. Hutcherson possesses a huge range of expressive possibilities, it seems as if there is no sound a second time. In the intro of "Verse" Hutcherson plays with great dynamic security and expression accuracy. It is this precise inner "anticipation" of the subsequent action that touches me. This is where Bobby Hutcherson's entire championship is presented, to convey his sonic vision to his instrument in the most precise form.
On "Stick-Up!" Is also the play "Summer Nights", an impressionistic sound painting as it is for Hutcherson. Lyrically and with subliminal melancholy the melody floats in the air, then dissolves in the chord colors. The harmonic sequences are of enchanting beauty and bring out surprising twists and turns. Hutcherson is a brilliant composer. His melodies are condensed experience, he has a great knowledge of the function of harmonies. I think that his compositional work is still far too little perceived.
In the sixties, Bobby Hutcherson as a leader and also as a sideman recorded great albums for Blue Note. Not to mention Eric Dolphy's "Out To Lunch," Hutcherson is heard in a freer, more experimental context. Also on the unique album "Evolution" by the trombonist Graham Moncur, with Lee Morgan, Jackie McLean, Bob Cranshaw on bass and drummer Tony Williams, he presents himself as a player who finds his place in every situation. Both recordings still have a pioneering character.
Bobby Hutcherson has made many great shots in his life. I limit myself to this modest selection from his work and am happy to write about other recordings of him on other occasions.
Hutcherson is a captivating story-teller who always provides unexpected turns in the narrative for us. His accurate time, the inexhaustible melodic inventiveness, the elegance and lightness of his playing, the radiance of his sound are unique and impressive. Bobby Hutcherson will have a permanent place in the history of jazz.