“West Coast Blues!” is an album by Harold Land, recorded on May 17 and 18, 1960, in San Francisco and originally released on Jazzland Records (JLP 920S). The Jazz Workshop Vinyl reissue as a 180-gram audiophile LP (JW-073) revives this record with remastering that highlights the saxophone and guitar’s brilliance. The lineup features Harold Land (tenor saxophone), Wes Montgomery (guitar), Joe Gordon (trumpet), Barry Harris (piano), Sam Jones (bass), and Louis Hayes (drums). The album includes tracks like Charlie Parker’s Klactoveedsedstene and Wes Montgomery’s West Coast Blues, plus Land’s originals. The music is hard bop with West Coast charm, with Land’s saxophone and Montgomery’s guitar crafting a captivating dialogue, backed by a swinging rhythm section. The Jazz Workshop reissue, limited to 500 copies, is celebrated for its warm, detailed sound, capturing the session’s vibrant energy. “West Coast Blues!” is a classic, showcasing Land and Montgomery at their peak.
Harold Land (December 18, 1928 – July 27, 2001) was an American tenor saxophonist, a key figure in West Coast jazz and hard bop. Born in Houston, Texas, and raised in San Diego, he began playing saxophone as a teenager, inspired by Coleman Hawkins and Charlie Parker. In the 1950s, Land became a star of the Los Angeles scene, collaborating with Clifford Brown, Max Roach, and Curtis Counce. His style featured a powerful, expressive tone and intricate improvisations, blending bebop with bluesy soul. Later, Land moved to New York, where he continued recording and teaching, leaving a legacy as one of his era’s most respected saxophonists.
TRACKLIST
Side One:
1. Ursula (Harold Land) 7:10
2. Klactoveedsedstene (Charlie Parker) 9:55
3. Don’t Explain (Holiday-Herzog) 4:50
Side Two:
1. West Coast Blues (Wes Montgomery) 6:01
2. Terrain (Harold Land) 7:44
3. Compulsion (Harold Land) 6:47
Personnel:
Harold Land Sextet
Harold Land (tenor sax), Joe Gordon (trumpet), Barry Harris (piano), Wes Montgomery (guitar), Sam Jones (bass), Louis Hayes (drums).
Recorded in San Francisco; May 17 and 18, 1960
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