This incredible piece was recorded during the same 1972 St. Louis recording session as Dogon A.D., but only released later on Hemphill's subsequent 1975 LP, Coon Bid'ness.   I don't know why it was shelved, because the funky soulfulness of Abdul Wadud's cello and the inventiveness of Hemphill's soloing take this composition to the next level, and the combination of composition and improvisation, not to mention its epic length, arguably make this the most remarkable cut from that historic session.

I've got 99 problems, but listening to The Hard Blues makes them seem less significant.  RIP, Julius Hemphill (1938-1995), you mad genius.