San Francisco

by

Bobby Hutcherson and Harold Land

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The reviews I read of San Fracisco suggest that somehow, Hutcherson was selling out by making a soul jazz record instead of an avant garde one. While I am a huge fan of Bobby's work with Archie Shepp-check out New Thing At Newport-and his own free jazz albums, I think San Fransico is equally good.

This is thick, bluesy jazz with a late 60s soul feel and Hutcherson's vibes all over the music. The band is both tight and loose, and a lot of this material reminds me of the great film scores Quincy Jones was writting at the time.

Any jazzman worth his salt will tell you blues, bop, avant-garde, indeed all jazz exsists on the same continuium. Don't forget that blues is what a lot of these giants cut their teeth on, and it is probably a clensing experiance for them to return to it. I love the fact that guys like Hutchenson can work in all styles, jumping from one to another whenever they feel like it. This is what musicians do.

Anybody that enjoys good music should buy this.

Bobby Hutcherson made many great albums for Blue Note, and several of them with Harold Land, but by "San Francisco" the gas tank is running low. Hutcherson, in his day, was the most acclaimed vibes player since Milt Jackson, and is perhaps the best modern/avant-garde player in jazz history. His contributions are immeasurable to modern jazz classics including Eric Dolphy's "Out to Lunch," Grant Green's "Idle Moments" and Tony Williams' "Lifetime," not to mention his own "Dialogue" and "Components." His albums of the later 60s stay true the explorations of the "new thing," despite the fact that Blue Note had sold out to the corporate machine. He cut several excellent sessions with tenor man Harold Land prior to "San Francisco" including "Total Eclipse," "Spiral" and "Medina." But by 1970 even Hutcherson must have been feeling the pressure of making a more commercial effort. What separates this CD from other jazz/funk electric material of the early 70s is the thoughtful solos of Hutch and Land. There is some intelligent material here for you hip-hop/electronica samplers out there, but as a solid jazz album, it falls short.