Point Of Departure - Andrew Hill (1LP Vinyl)

Point Of Departure by Andrew Hill.

Recorded on March 21, 1964, Andrew Hill's "Point Of Departure" stands as one of the most quietly radical statements in the Blue Note catalog. First issued in 1965, it captures the pianist and composer at a moment of restless invention, reaching past convention toward something looser, stranger, and more searching. This is music that lives up to its title, forever pushing away from the familiar shore.

The album unfolds across five Hill originals. Side A opens with "Refuge" before moving into "New Monastery," while side B gathers "Spectrum," "Flight 19," and "Dedication." Each piece carries its own architecture, its own sense of tension between structure and freedom, and together they trace a coherent arc that rewards front to back listening. Hill's writing never settles for the obvious, using unexpected turns of harmony and rhythm to keep the ear alert throughout.

Part of the enduring appeal of this record lies in the way Hill balances composition and improvisation, giving his collaborators room to explore without ever losing the thread of his vision. The result is a session that feels both meticulously conceived and thrillingly alive, a document of players thinking aloud together. It is the kind of album that reveals new detail with every spin, a favorite among those who prize adventurous jazz that still swings.

This reissue does full justice to the original session. Part of Blue Note's audiophile program, celebrated as the finest in jazz since 1939, it has been mastered from the original analog tapes by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio and pressed on 180 gram vinyl. That combination of source and craftsmanship delivers the depth, warmth, and presence the music deserves, letting every voice in the ensemble breathe.

This edition, released under Blue Note Records with a 2022 Capitol Records copyright, was made in Germany, carrying catalog number 4535330 and barcode 00602445353309. It is a pressing built for people who care about hearing this landmark the way it was meant to be heard, with fidelity that honors Hill's ambition.

For collectors and newcomers alike, "Point Of Departure" is an essential chapter in the story of modern jazz, a record that continues to feel forward looking nearly six decades on. Andrew Hill was a composer of rare imagination, and here his gifts are on full display. Add this beautifully realized reissue to your shelf and you have a version worthy of returning to again and again.

Pressing Details:
Recorded March 21, 1964.

A Blue Note Records release. Originally released in 1965 on Blue Note Records. ©2022 Capitol Records, LLC. [..address..] All rights reserved. 4535330. Universal International Music B.V. [..address..] BIEM/SDRM. Made in the EU. LC00133. 00602445353309

From front sticker:
-Audiophile vinyl reissues
from the finest in Jazz since 1939
-Mastered from original analog tapes
by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio
-180 gram vinyl

Rear sticker:
Made in Germany

Track Listing:
A1. Refuge
A2. New Monastery
B1. Spectrum
B2. Flight 19
B3. Dedication

Artist: Andrew Hill

Format: 1LP

Genre: Jazz

Label: Blue Note

Catalog Number: 4535330

Release Year: 2022

Country: United States

Condition: Sealed (New)