Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

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HILL, Buck

(b Roger Hill, 13 February 1927, Washington DC) Tenor saxophonist, composer, leader. He started playing at age 13 and played in the house band at the legendary Howard Theater in the 1940s; always highly rated by fans and critics, he nevertheless supported a wife and three kids by driving a cab and delivering mail for decades. Meanwhile he was discovered by Charlie Byrd and became a regular on the local jazz circuit, appearing with Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, and Shirley Horn; he first recorded in the late 1950s with Byrd, and later on albums with Shirley Horn.

During the dominance of rock in the sixties, Hill carried on working for the post office, still performing and doing more teaching. One of his students, drummer Billy Hart, finally helped arrange some recording for Steeplechase: This Is Buck Hill '78 and Scope '79 saw him collaborating with the likes of Kenny Barron and Ray Brown, but through it all he never gave up the day job, at least until he qualified for that pension, and was called 'the Wailin' Mailman'.

Further albums on Steeplechase were Easy To Love '81 and Impressions '83; Plays Europe (live in Holland) was on Turning Point; Capital Hill '89, The Buck Stops Here '90, I'm Beginning To See The Light '91 and Impulse '92 were all on Muse. Tenor Conclave '92 on a Tros/Timeless CD was recorded live in Laren, Holland, with Von Freeman and Teddy Edwards; Northsea Festival '97 was also recorded live, back on Steeplechase.  

Uh Huh! Live at Montpelier 2000 on JazzMont celebrated the fact that Hill had been a staple of the local jazz scene at the Montpelier Arts Center since 1985; it was the second release on the Center's own label. Relax 2006 on Severn saw The Buck Hill Quartet (an organ combo) playing originals (he had also recorded as a sideman with organist great Shirley Scott a few years earlier). Hill was playing as well as ever approaching his 80th birthday; he would probably agree with Chicago hornmen Von Freeman and Fred Anderson: the way to stay young is to keep playing!