Bobby Hutcherson / Harold Land
San Francisco
Rare & Collectible Vinyl Records

2023 Audiophile Vinyl Reissue Release As Part Of The Blue Note Classic Vinyl Series. NM Copy. "Bobby Hutcherson's Late-'60s Partnership With Tenor Saxophonist Harold Land Always Produced Soulful Results, But Not Until San Francisco Did That Translate Into A Literal Flirtation With Funk And Rock. After Watching Several Advanced Post-Bop Sessions Gather Dust In The Vaults, Hutcherson Decided To Experiment With His Sound A Bit, But San Francisco Still Doesn't Wind Up The Commercial Jazz-Funk Extravaganza That Purists Might Fear. Instead, Hutcherson And Land Stake Out A Warm And Engaging Middle Ground Between Muscular Funk And Coltrane-Style Modality; In Other Words, They Have Their Cake And Eat It Too. Joined By Pianist/Keyboardist Joe Sample (Also Of The Jazz Crusaders), Acoustic/Electric Bassist John Williams, And Drummer Mickey Roker, Hutcherson And Land Cook Up A Series Of Spacious, Breezy Grooves That Sound Unlike Any Other Record In The Vibist's Discography (Even His More Commercial Fusion Sessions). The Selections -- All Group-Member Originals -- Often Skirt The Edges Of Fusion, But Rarely Play It As Expected; They Might Float Some Spare Tradeoffs Over A Loping, Heavy Bass Groove, Throw In An Oboe Solo By Land, Or -- As On The Slowest Piece -- Keep Time Only With Intermittently Spaced Piano Chords. It's All Done With Enough Imagination And Harmonic Sophistication To Achieve The Rare Feat Of Holding Appeal For Traditional Jazz And Rare-Groove Fans Alike. It's A Shame Hutcherson Didn't Explore This Direction More, Because San Francisco Is Not Only One Of His Best Albums, But Also One Of His Most Appealing And Accessible." AMG - Steve Huey.