Alex Hill

by Scott YanowA valuable and talented musician-arranger whose life was cut short by illness, Alex Hill accomplished a great deal in a short period of time without gaining any real fame. Considered a bit of a prodigy, Hill was taught piano by his mother. He attended Shorter College and met Alphonse Trent for whom he wrote his first arrangements. After graduating in 1922, at the age of 16, he spent a couple years freelancing in territory bands including briefly with Terrence Holderss Dark Clouds Of Joy. Hill led his own group (1924-26), played with Speed Webb in 1926 and the following year was with Mutt Careys Jeffersonians in Los Angeles, also contributing arrangements for Paul Howards Quality Serenaders. Later in 1927 he settled in Chicago and soon Hill was the staff arranger for the Melrose Music Publishing Company in addition to contributing arrangements for the Carroll Dickerson Orchestra. In 1928 he played with Jimmy Wade and the following year was a member of Jimmie Noones Apex Club Orchestra. During a tour with Sammy Stewarts Orchestra, Hill relocated to New York in early 1930. He freelanced as an arranger for such bands as Paul Whiteman, Benny Carter, Claude Hopkins, Andy Kirk, Ina Ray Hutton, the Mills Blue Rhythm Orchestra and Duke Ellington plus contributed charts for recording dates headed by Fats Waller, Eddie Condon and Willie Bryant. Hill was also the staff arranger for the Mills Music Company. He teamed up with fellow pianist Fats Waller for a revue, Hello 1931, and accompanied singer Adelaide Hall as part of a piano duet along with Joe Stride Turner. Things were looking up in 1935 when Hill formed a big band but, after playing at the Savoy Ballroom, he was forced to break up the group due to his failing health, caused by tuberculosis, and not helped by excessive drinking and overwork. After returning home to Little Rock, he passed away at the age of 30. Most of pianist/arrangers recordings have been gathered together on the 1998 Timeless CD Alex Hill 1928-34 including the highlights of dates with Albert Wynn, Jimmy Wade, Jimmie Noone, Junie Cobb, Eddie Condon and the Hokum Trio plus all of his 11 titles as a leader. Among Alex Hills best known compositions are Beau Koo Jack (recorded by Louis Armstrong in 1928), Im Crazy Bout My Baby, Baby Brown (a minor hit for Fats Waller) and especially the standard I Would Do Anything For You.