Julius Hemphill

Hemphill left us in 1995. Fortunately, his expansive oeuvre has only generated more fan interest in the years since. One Atmosphere, a collection of his works performed by other musicians, including close associates Tim Berne and Oliver Lake, highlights Hemphill's fusion of chamber music and avant jazz. It's challenging stuff, for sure. The Pacifica String Quartet's premier recording of the title track, a slab of percussive atonality, will clean your clock in just over nine minutes.