egroj world: Harold Land • Harold In The Land Of Jazz

Wednesday, July 10, 2024

Harold Land • Harold In The Land Of Jazz

Review
by Scott Yanow
Other than four titles from 1949, this CD reissue has tenor saxophonist Harold Land's first sessions as a leader. Teamed up on the West Coast with trumpeter Rolf Ericson, pianist Carl Perkins, bassist Leroy Vinnegar, and drummer Frank Butler, Land shows that hard bop was very much alive in Los Angeles in the late '50s. His tone is cooler and softer than it would become later on, but it was already pretty distinctive. Land performs three of his swinging originals, the original version of Perkins' "Grooveyard" (which became a minor standard), an obscurity by Elmo Hope, and the standards "Speak Low" and "You Don't Know What Love Is." The reissue also adds "Promised Land" to the original program. Fine straight-ahead music.
https://www.discogs.com/release/1599594-Harold-Land-Harold-In-The-Land-Of-Jazz

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Reseña
por Scott Yanow
Aparte de cuatro títulos de 1949, esta reedición en CD contiene las primeras sesiones del saxofonista tenor Harold Land como líder. Formando equipo en la Costa Oeste con el trompetista Rolf Ericson, el pianista Carl Perkins, el bajista Leroy Vinnegar y el baterista Frank Butler, Land demuestra que el hard bop estaba muy vivo en Los Ángeles a finales de los 50. Su tono es más frío y suave de lo que sería más tarde, pero ya era bastante distintivo. Land interpreta tres de sus originales de swing, la versión original de "Grooveyard" de Perkins (que se convirtió en un estándar menor), una oscuridad de Elmo Hope, y los estándares "Speak Low" y "You Don't Know What Love Is". La reedición también añade "Promised Land" al programa original. Buena música directa.
https://www.discogs.com/release/1599594-Harold-Land-Harold-In-The-Land-Of-Jazz

Tracks:
1 - Speak Low 5:35
2 - Delirium 6:40
3 - You Don't Know What Love Is 3:55
4 - Nieta 4:35
5 - Grooveyard7:02
6 - Lydia's Lament 5:46
7 - Smack Up 7:11
8 - Promised Land 6:27

Credits:
    Arranged By – Elmo Hope, Harold Land
    Bass – Leroy Vinnegar
    Drums – Frank Butler
    Engineer – Howard Holzer, Roy DuNann
    Mastered By – Joe Tarantino
    Piano – Carl Perkins
    Producer – Lester Koenig
    Tenor Saxophone – Harold Land
    Trumpet – Rolf Ericson

Notes:
Tracks 1, 6, 7 & 8 were recorded January 13, 1958.
Tracks 2, 3, 4 & 5 were recorded January 14, 1958.
#8: Additional track not on original LP..

Label:    Original Jazz Classics – OJCCD 162-2, Contemporary Records – OJCCD 162-2
Genre:    Jazz
Style:    Bop, Hard Bop
https://www.discogs.com/release/4000515-Harold-Land-Harold-In-The-Land-Of-Jazz