Alchemy
Mark Hill, oboe
A joke, long circulated among woodwind players (how it ever made it back to me in the trombone section, I’ll never know):
What’s the difference between an oboe and a clarinet?
A clarinet burns longer.
But on Alchemy (suggestive of a transformation by fire), oboist Mark Hill’s sizzling sound falls somewhere between the two instruments, with multiphonic playing, buzzing trills, and just the right amount of shrillness. Listen for a surprising pitch-bend near the end of this clip; it’s fiery, but it’s no joke.
—DA