Peace Full
Eric Kennedy | East coast | 04/11/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"What a beautiful record. The Harold Land/Bobby Hutcherson Ensembles made some of my favorite music. The groups had great original music. They challenged your ear. They also soothe your ears with beautiful, spiritual tones from their instruments. This is considered the first of their recorded documents. The album has some nice blues variations and other forms. Relaxing and funky. The drummer also plays melodica on one of the tunes. I am thrilled that the cd is reissued. Let's make a cheaper stateside version, please? For lovers of great music , the cd is worth the search and buy. Every song is sweet."
The remarkable legacy of Harold Land
Wayne Dawson | New Zealand | 11/06/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Recorded in 1967/68 with Bobby Hutcherson on vibes and an outstanding rhythm section of piano, bass, drums; The Peace Maker offers seven compositions by Land out of eight making this a very personal project from the great tenor sax man. Beautifully recorded, the timbre from the instruments are caught in a diffuse web of sound that is either gently hypnotic (Peace Maker) or sprightly delivered with those Land trademark bop runs that have no trouble embracing some of John Coltrane's ideas.
The more I explore the music of Harold Land the more astonishing it is to realise how under recognised he was. This all sounds very cliché ridden when discussing jazz musicians but in Land's case here was a musician who didn't die prematurely, was prolific and highly creative with a flexible embrace of many influences. Coupled with that individual talent he had a sixth sense when it came to gathering in other musicians. The impression is that his presence was an all out inspiration to those who worked alongside him and that is certainly the case, yet again, with The Peace Maker!
So if you have yet to explore Harold Land's unsurpassable musical legacy, The Peace Maker is a fine place to start. If you're already familiar with this master musician, then here is another work with all the hall marks of craftsmanship and taste that are strewn through his recorded catalogue like so many impressive gems.
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Track Listings (8) - Disc #1