Andrew's back! Hooray! It's been a couple of years since he released two fine albums on Palmetto, and now he's back on the Blue Note label for what they're saying is his third stint.

Near-mainstream, piano-led jazz with breezy peacefulness and some great '60s-sounding touches. Friendly stuff, maybe one notch more complicated than what one would call "accessible." Andrew Hill is among the best known of those "critics' favorites" types, having made his name with some innovative Blue Note albums circa 1968, but without the household-name success of his contemporaries.

This isn't fiery/blazing free jazz; it's got a relatively mellow approach and a warm glow to it -- check out Andrew's smile on the back cover. An accessible sounding but richly involved, with piano solos that follow a stuttery logic. With sax from Greg Tardy and trumpet from Charles Tolliver, who's a bit of a forgotten artist himself. So, play it, already! Then go dig his '60s stuff in our vinyl.

1- Slow lush tumbling piano, gentle sax later
2- Freely flowing, with a sunny South African feel. Midtempo without a strict beat
3- Wonderfully stumbling. Midtempo, complex. Brainy piano solo
4- Mid/fast. Rich '60s sound
5- Slow, deep
6- Fast clip, slowish horn lines. Warmly peaceful/breezy, smiling. Crisp trumpet solo.
7- Midtempo, hard digging '60s horn theme. Nicely energetic.
8- Solo piano version of #1. Slow, haunting, tender