With such classic 1960s Blue Note recordings as Judgment, Smokestack, and Point of Departure, pianist-composer Andrew Hill created challenging works that still defy easy categorization. Too structured to be free jazz but far too ambitious for typical bop, Hill"s music demanded interpretive and improvisational input within his intense melodies. Hill has not abandoned his high standards on Dusk. With drummer Billy Drummond, bassist Scott Colley, saxophonists Gregory Tardy and Marty Ehrlich, and trumpeter Ron Horton, Dusk recalls Hill"s earlier sessions without sentimentality. Like modern Monk songs, tracks such as "Tough Love" and "15/8" bounce over rapt, rhythmic changes and demand heady involvement from each musician. "Ball Square" runs the gamut from a near-rubato intro and straight-ahead swing to a vibrant drum solo and a wailing, half-time New Orleans section. Similarly, "Sept" uses Caribbean rhythms, changing tempos and dynamics over which the musicians spin harried solos. Like Dave Douglas"s recent Soul on Soul, Dusk is an intensely rewarding session of unusual compositions and excellent improvisation. Highly recommended. --Ken Micallef