Harold Land
Texas-born tenor saxophonist Harold Land was an adept stylist whose sound brought together the big swinging tone and edgy harmonics of the hard bop era with the warm lyricism and dusky romance of the West Coast, where he spent much of his life. A member of the celebrated Clifford Brown and Max Roach Quintet, Land also enjoyed a vibrant solo career, releasing albums like 1959's The Fox, 1963's Jazz Impressions of Folk Music, and 1968's The Peace-Maker, the latter of which introduced his long-running quintet with vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson. He also worked with luminaries like Wes Montgomery, Thelonious Monk, Hampton Hawes, and Red Mitchell, and was a member of the Gerald Wilson Orchestra. Influenced by John Coltrane, his playing grew more exploratory throughout the '60s and '70s, yet he never lost his swinging, melodic style as evidenced by such late-career albums as 1995's A Lazy Afternoon and 2001's A Promised Land.
Born in 1928 in Houston, Texas, Land grew up in San Diego, where he started playing sax at age 16. He made his recorded debut for Savoy in 1949 leading his All-Stars with Leon Petties, Froebel Brigham, and others. Following a move to Los Angeles in the mid-'50s, he joined the Max Roach-Clifford Brown quintet, replacing Teddy Edwards. Land stayed in the group for over a year, appearing on such classic albums as 1954's Brown and Roach Incorporated and 1955's Study in Brown. He then left the group to play with Curtis Counce from 1956 to 1958, during which time he recorded with the bassist for labels like Contemporary and Dooto. There were also sessions with Herb Geller, Cal Tjader, Victor Feldman, and others.
As a leader, Land made his debut with 1958's Harold in the Land of Jazz, playing alongside trumpeter Rolf Ericson, pianist Carl Perkins, bassist Leroy Vinnegar, and drummer Frank Butler. A year later, he returned with The Fox, an superb quintet set with trumpeter Dupree Bolton and pianist Elmo Hope. By the '60s, Land was dividing his time between leading his own groups, as with bassist Red Mitchell on 1961's Hear Ye!, and playing with bandleader Gerald Wilson and his orchestra. In 1963, he showcased his wide-ranging taste reinterpreting traditional folk songs like "Tom Dooley" and "On Top of Old Smokey" on Jazz Impressions of Folk Music. There were also dates with Wes Montgomery and Kenny Dorham for Jazzland, and sessions with such notable players as Carmell Jones, Bud Shank, Gary Peacock, and Thelonious Monk, among others.
While Land never went completely avant-garde, he did expand his approach throughout the '60s, influenced by the work of John Coltrane and other progressive players. He formed a lasting quintet with vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson which they debuted on 1968's The Peace-Maker and continued through the early '70s. Land also co-led a group with trumpeter Blue Mitchell from 1975 to 1978, recording albums like 1977's Mapenzi.
Beginning in the early '80s, he and Hutcherson often appeared as members of the Timeless All Stars, a group of veteran players connected to the Timeless label, also featuring pianist Cedar Walton, trombonist Curtis Fuller, bassist Buster Williams, and drummer Billy Higgins. Though his own recording slowed in the '80s (he released 1981's Xocia's Dance), Land continued his association with the Gerald Wilson Orchestra and performed live, often working with his son pianist Harold Land, Jr. He also moved into education, working as a professor at the University of California, Los Angeles. He also joined guitarist Kenny Burrell's UCLA Jazz Studies Program. In 1995, he released A Lazy Afternoon, a lush orchestral album featuring arrangements by Ray Ellis. Following a long recording hiatus, Land returned in March 2001 with Promised Land, a hard-swinging quartet date featuring pianist Mulgrew Miller, bassist Ray Drummond, and drummer Billy Higgins. Land died in July 2001 after suffering a stroke at the age of 72.
© Matt Collar /TiVo
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Eastward Ho! + Fire in the West
Jazz - Released by Jazz & Groove on 18 Feb 2022
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Jazz 4 Life (Digitally Remastered)
Jazz - Released by The Blue Mile Records on 19 Jul 2019
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Giants Of Jazz
Jazz - Released by Harlem Jazz Records on 28 Nov 2022
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Compulsion (The Collection)
Jazz - Released by Vinyl and Dust Records on 29 Jul 2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Lifeworks - Harold Land (The Platinum Edition)
Jazz - Released by Night & day on 5 May 2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Feliz Navidad y próspero Año Nuevo de Harold Land
Jazz - Released by Amamos la navidad on 10 Nov 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Jazz Collection (Original Recordings)
Jazz - Released by Jazz Dog Records on 3 Apr 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
West Coast Blues!
Jazz - Released by Music Manager on 7 Feb 2022
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Four Classic Albums (Harold in the Land of Jazz / The Fox / West Coast Blues / Eastward Ho! Harold Land in New York) (Digitally Remastered)
Jazz - Released by AVID Jazz on 1 Mar 2019
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Giants of Jazz
Jazz - Released by School of Jazz Records on 24 Nov 2017
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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West Coast Blues (Harold Land)
Bebop - Released by Lumi Entertainment on 1 Jan 2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Jazz Masters Collection: Harold Land, Vol. 1
Jazz - Released by MN Records on 3 Dec 2019
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Jazz at the Cellar 1958
Jazz - Released by Ascension Records on 29 Jun 2022
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year from Harold Land
Jazz - Released by White Christmas on 1 Dec 2023
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Harold in the Land of Jazz (Album of 1958)
Jazz - Released by Jazz Classics on 30 Sep 2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Legends - Harold Land
Jazz - Released by Legends on 6 Jan 2015
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There's No Business Like Show Business with Harold Land
Jazz - Released by Show Business on 23 Feb 2024
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo