Harold Land

Harold de Vance Land (December 18, 1928 – July 27, 2001)

Biography Land was born in Houston, Texas, United States and grew up in San Diego, California. He started playing at the age of 16. He made his first recording as the leader of the Harold Land All-Stars, for Savoy Records in 1949. In 1954, he joined the Clifford Brown/Max Roach Quintet, with whom he was at the forefront of the hard-bop/bebop movement. The Land family moved from San Diego to Los Angeles, in 1955. There he played with Curtis Counce, led his own groups, and co-led groups with Bobby Hutcherson, Blue Mitchell, and Red Mitchell.

Playing style Land had an inimitably dark tone within the hard-bop and modal jazz paradigms. Over time this would contrast more and more with the brighter tonalities of more Coltrane-influenced saxophonists, although Land started to implement Coltrane's musical innovations. Land's "dire, brooding [tenor saxophone] sound began somewhere between rhythm and blues and Coleman Hawkins, and after the early 1960s owed more and more to John Coltrane's harmonies, phrasing and experiments with modalism."

Discography As leader/co-leader

As a member The Timeless All Stars It's Timeless (Timeless, 1982) Timeless Heart (Timeless, 1983) Essence (Delos, 1986) Time for the Timeless All Stars (Early Bird, 1990)

As sideman

With Clifford Brown and Max Roach Jam Session (EmArcy, 1954) - with Maynard Ferguson and Clark Terry Brown and Roach Incorporated (EmArcy, 1954) Daahoud (Mainstream, 1973) – rec. 1954 Clifford Brown & Max Roach (EmArcy, 1954) Study in Brown (EmArcy, 1955)

With Curtis Counce The Curtis Counce Group (Contemporary, 1956) You Get More Bounce with Curtis Counce! (Contemporary, 1957) Carl's Blues (Contemporary, 1960) – rec. 1957 Exploring the Future (Dooto, 1958) Sonority (Contemporary, 1989) – rec. 1957-1958

With Victor Feldman Vic Feldman on Vibes (Mode, 1957) Soviet Jazz Themes (Äva, 1962)

With Hampton Hawes For Real! (Contemporary, 1961) – rec. 1958 Universe (Prestige, 1972)

With Billy Higgins Bridgework (Contemporary, 1987) ¾ for Peace (Red, 1993) Billy Higgins Quintet (Sweet Basil, 1993)

With Bobby Hutcherson Total Eclipse (Blue Note, 1969) – rec. 1968 Now! (Blue Note, 1970) – rec. 1969 San Francisco (Blue Note, 1971) – rec. 1970 Head On (Blue Note, 1971) Cirrus (Blue Note, 1974) Medina (Blue Note, 1980) – rec. 1969 Inner Glow (Blue Note, 1980) – rec. 1975 Farewell Keystone (Theresa, 1988) – rec. 1982 Blow Up (Jazz Music Yesterday, 1990) – rec. 1969

With Carmell Jones The Remarkable Carmell Jones (Pacific Jazz, 1961) Business Meeting (Pacific Jazz, 1962)

With Philly Joe Jones Advance! (Galaxy, 1978) Drum Song (Galaxy, 1985) – rec. 1978

With Wes Montgomery Montgomeryland (Pacific Jazz, 1958) Wes, Buddy and Monk Montgomery (Pacific Jazz, 1959) Easy Groove (Pacific Jazz, 1966)

With Blue Mitchell Stratosonic Nuances (RCA, 1975) African Violet (Impulse!, 1977) Mapenzi (Concord, 1977) Summer Soft (Impulse!, 1978)

With Shorty Rogers The Swingin' Nutcracker (RCA Victor, 1960) An Invisible Orchard (RCA Victor, 1997) – rec. 1961

With Gerald Wilson You Better Believe It! (Pacific Jazz, 1961) Moment of Truth (Pacific Jazz, 1962) Portraits (Pacific Jazz, 1964) On Stage (Pacific Jazz, 1965) Feelin' Kinda Blues (Pacific Jazz, 1965) The Golden Sword (Pacific Jazz, 1966) Live and Swinging (Pacific Jazz, 1967) Everywhere (Pacific Jazz, 1968) California Soul (Pacific Jazz, 1968) Eternal Equinox (Pacific Jazz, 1969) Lomelin (Discovery, 1981) Jessica (Trend, 1982) Calafia (Trend, 1985)

With others Roy Ayers, Virgo Vibes (Atlantic, 1967) Jimmy Bond, James Bond Songbook (Mirwood, 1966) Donald Byrd, Ethiopian Knights (Blue Note, 1971) Dolo Coker, Dolo! (Xanadu, 1976) Bill Evans, Quintessence (Fantasy Records, 1976) Ella Fitzgerald, Things Ain't What They Used to Be (And You Better Believe It) (1969) Red Garland. Red Alert (Galaxy, 1977) Herb Geller, Fire in the West (Jubilee, 1957) Chico Hamilton, Chic Chic Chico (Impulse!, 1965) Al Hibbler, Sings The Blues - Monday Every Day (Reprise, 1961) Elmo Hope, The Elmo Hope Quintet featuring Harold Land (Pacific Jazz, 1957) Freddie Hubbard, Born to Be Blue (Pablo, 1982) Les McCann, Les McCann Sings (Pacific Jazz, 1961) Thelonious Monk, Thelonious Monk at the Blackhawk (Riverside 1960) Frank Rosolino, Free for All (Fantasy, 1987) – rec. 1958 Jack Sheldon, Jack's Groove (GNP, 1961) Dinah Washington, Dinah Jams (EmArcy, 1955) Gerald Wiggins, Wiggin' Out (HiFi Jazz, 1960) Jimmy Woods, Conflict (Contemporary, 1963) Jimmy Rowles Sextet, Let's Get Acquainted With Jazz (For People Who Hate Jazz) (Tampa Records, 1957)