HAROLD LAND — A New Shade Of Blue (review)

HAROLD LAND — A New Shade Of Blue album cover Album · 1971 · Post Bop Buy this album from MMA partners
5/5 ·
Steve Wyzard
WHY OH WHY

.....is the late, great Harold Land almost forgotten today? Many condescending reasons have been offered (thorny, abrasive tone, spent too much time in Europe, recorded for obscure labels, the "Eastern" influenced sound) but none can take away from the fact that one simply can't compare Harold to anybody. In a world of copycats and "influenced by", he was a true original. Those who have attempted to trace his musical lineage and/or descendants usually start with Coleman Hawkins and Charlie Parker, and then veer off into many disparate directions (Pharoah Sanders? Ornette Coleman? Joe Henderson?). Nice tries, but it really can't be done. There was only one Harold, and the world of jazz is a much better/more unique place for it.

While much of Land's work from the 1950's is usually available, the albums recorded under his own name in the 1960's and 1970's are inexplicably much harder to find. Take a run-of-the-mill masterpiece like A New Shade of Blue, for example. There is absolutely nothing difficult or inaccessible on this album, but its total obscurity would make one think it's an avant-garde, dissonant blowing session. But it's not. The critics will quickly cite the opening austerity of the title track, but when the tempo picks up, Harold launches into a snarly solo that leads one to think he's playing an alto, not a tenor sax (yet another quality of his distinctive tone). Bobby Hutcherson adds a marvelously melodic solo, and Bill Henderson and Buster Williams have their moments in the spotlight as well. "Mtume", named after its namesake percussionist is an excellent example of Harold's "ethnic/world" sound. With percussion all over the place and Williams spending most of his time in the upper registers, Land broods in the background before jumping into this album's wildest solo. After the lighter, laid-back "Ode to Angela" comes the faster, jaggedly intense "De-Liberation". For those who dismiss Harold's playing as "dispassionate", you simply must hear his ELECTRIC soloing here. Billy Hart bludgeons his drums with a Tony Williams fire while producer Bobby Shad plays with the faders on Buster's solo. Built on ascending piano chords, the snappy "Short Subject" closes the album in memorable style.

If you consider yourself a tenor sax aficionado, you truly owe it to yourself to track down this hard-to-find album. And those who say they can enjoy Land's playing on any number of Bobby Hutcherson albums are just plain missing out. Spare no expense - this one's worth it! And why oh why has this never been released on CD?!?
Share this review
more

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Jazz Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

JMA TOP 5 Jazz ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
A Love Supreme Post Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
Kind of Blue Cool Jazz
MILES DAVIS
Buy this album from our partners
The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady Progressive Big Band
CHARLES MINGUS
Buy this album from our partners
Blue Train Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
My Favorite Things Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners

New Jazz Artists

New Jazz Releases

Green Puma / Tropical Dandy Jazz Related Rock
THE LINK QUARTET
Buy this album from MMA partners
Vinny Golia Quintet : Can You Outrun Them? 21st Century Modern
VINNY GOLIA
Buy this album from MMA partners
Bow Code Fusion
SAMPO HIUKKANEN
Buy this album from MMA partners
Anthem For No Man’s Land Jazz Related Improv/Composition
ANDREAS SCHAERER
Buy this album from MMA partners
Cabaret Eclectic Fusion
MARIUS NESET
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Jazz Online Videos

Paper Plane Pilot
MIKE DE SOUZA
js· 2 hours ago
Green Puma
THE LINK QUARTET
js· 2 hours ago
Heavy Cream
SAMPO HIUKKANEN
js· 4 hours ago
Sunday afternoon
FURIO DI CASTRI
snobb· 17 hours ago
Harmônicos
FABIANO DO NASCIMENTO
js· 1 day ago
More videos

New JMA Jazz Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Jazz News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Follow us on Twitter Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed