Bobby Hutcherson's late-'60s partnership with tenor saxophonist Harold
Land had 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.
(by Steve Huey, All
Music Guide)
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