by Kelly Sill
“Eisenbleu"
From the recording
Million to One - Palmetto Records
Steve Million – 1995
Steve Million - piano
Randy Brecker - trumpet
Chris Potter - sax
Michael Moore - bass
Ron Vincent - drums
0:03 The sound of this cut is so beautiful, when it comes in it kills me
0:11 Piano answers, and then that run
0:20 Opening phrase again, and then a different piano answer
0:23 It’s another beautiful phrase
0:30 Nice answer
0:35 Same phrase
0:40 Now, an Afro-Cuban beat - nice contrast
0:51 And a similar theme to the beginning
1:04 Back to the top - Chris didn't come in until the third bar - I think he spaced
1:12 Equally as beautiful as the beginning
1:18 And another great piano response
1:24, Same answer as the beginning
1:38 Back to the Afro-Cuban thing
1:44 It's hypnotic
1:49 Wow, a whole new section
1:55 Repeated, but different harmony
2:00 Way more energy now, same phrase
2:09 That phrase ends, and back to the interlude similar to the beginning
2:19 Bass solo starts
2:25 Michael is such a beautiful and lyrical soloist
2:40 Cool; they're playing through the changes
2:53 Beautiful!
3:06 Nice way to end it - oops, I thought that they were done
3:16 Now they are done - trumpet starts
3:33 Started a slow development, and then turn flurries into new lines
3:43 I like the fact that they're playing the changes, which works really well
3:53 Instead of going to the Afro-Cuban part there, there's a slightly different interlude
4:08 Randy is playing over the interlude the same way that Michael did
4:20 Million has such a beautiful sense of melody and he's re-harmonizing his own harmony
4:38 Really nice
4:49 Beautiful exposition
5:12 Great pickups into the out-head
5:30 Same as the in-head
5:33 And now the second section
5:41 Quite a complex piano answer
5:50 Back to the Afro-Cuban section
6:00 And this part again
6:13 This is cool: a counterpart to the melody
6:25 Very elaborate
6:38 And actually quite dissonant
6:46 Almost screaming
6:52 Back to the original theme
6:56 And they're setting it down
7:00 A simple ending
7:04 Another beautiful cut!
This is one of finest compositions that I’ve ever heard in my life - Kel
ABOUT KELLY SILL
Kelly Sill has been a mainstay of the Chicago jazz scene for more than 35 years. After receiving his bachelor's degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, he returned to Chicago.
He has since performed and recorded with a vast array of jazz artists, including Art Blakey, Joe Henderson, Art Farmer, Eddie Jefferson, Clark Terry, Cedar Walton, Herb Ellis, Woody Shaw, Hank Jones, Freddie Hubbard, Kenny Burrell, Barney Kessel, Chris Potter, Ernie Watts, Bob Mintzer, Mel Torme, Anita O'Day, Janice Borla, Jack Mouse, Jackie McLean, Joey DeFrancesco, Donald Byrd, Bobby Watson, Eddie Harris, Scott Hamilton, Victor Lewis, Clifford Jordan, Bucky Pizzarelli and many more.
He has performed at the Chicago Jazz Festival, the Elkhart Jazz Festival, the Red Sea Jazz Festival, Thessaloniki Concert Hall in Greece and Symphony Center in Chicago.
Kelly has served on the faculties of Northeastern Illinois University, Lake Forest College, DePaul University and Northern Illinois University. For questions or comments please contact him at kellysill1@gmail.com or visit his website at KellySill.com