HAROLD LAND — Choma (Burn) (review)

HAROLD LAND — Choma (Burn) album cover Album · 1971 · Fusion Buy this album from MMA partners
4/5 ·
Steve Wyzard
MAELSTROM: LITTLE BIG BAND

The listener, upon viewing this album's lineup of musicians, would be forgiven for assuming the two drummers and two keyboardists are performing on alternating tracks, except for one little intrusive fact: they aren't. That's right, the full septet plays on all four compositions, with the two drummers and the two keyboardists simultaneously pounding up a storm. Add on top the busy bass work of Reggie Johnson, the vicious vibes of Bobby Hutcherson, and the spikey tones of the one and only Harold Land, and you have a wall of sound that could occasionally be described as "cluttered".

Which is NOT to say this is a bad album. Oh no, far from it. But it needs to be said this is not a "starter" album, or even for the very faint of heart. And while I certainly haven't heard everything Harold ever recorded, a much closer comparison can be made with his performances as part of the big sounds of Gerald Wilson's larger ensembles in the 1960s.

So for the new listener, please be advised that Choma (Burn) is not a big-band album or an avant-garde album, but rather one of his more over-the-top performances of the 1970s. A much higher recommendation can be made for A New Shade of Blue (sadly STILL not available on CD), recorded and released the same year (1971). Also take into account that on the opening title track, Harold does not play the tenor sax, but one ferocious flute!

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

About (or On)First Visit Avant-Garde Jazz
ELLERY ESKELIN
Buy this album from MMA partners
To Walk On Eggshells Avant-Garde Jazz
RUSS JOHNSON
Buy this album from MMA partners
Snakeoil : Snakeoil Ok Avant-Garde Jazz
TIM BERNE
Buy this album from MMA partners
Poetry of Place (from the exhibit by painter Karen Allen) Jazz Related Improv/Composition
CHRIS DINGMAN
Buy this album from MMA partners
Hiwar World Fusion
ALEPH QUINTET
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Jazz Online Videos

Satoko Fujii Tokyo Trio Dream a Dream
SATOKO FUJII
js· 1 day ago
Wojciech Jachna Squad - Ad Astra (Promo Teaser)
WOJCIECH JACHNA
snobb· 5 days ago
Nitty Gritty
RUSS SPIEGEL
js· 5 days ago
Never in a 100.000.000 Dreams
SUPERSISTER
js· 5 days ago
Love is a Fire that Burns Unseen
PETER MADSEN
js· 6 days 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
Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed