Silent Land

Inoyama Land was a duo of Yasushi Yamashita and Makoto Inoue, both past members of avant-pop ensemble Hikashu. It appears they only issued a couple of albums, as well as a posthumous compilation of live and previously unreleased material. A progressive sound approach with synths, mellotrons, tabla and sitars.

Inoyama Land was a duo of Yasushi Yamashita and Makoto Inoue, both past members of avant-pop ensemble Hikashu. It appears they only issued a couple of albums, as well as a posthumous compilation of live and previously unreleased material. A progressive sound approach with synths, mellotrons, tabla and sitars.

This Concord release was tenor saxophonist Harold Land's first as a leader in a decade, although he had co-led many sessions in the interim with vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson. Starting in 1975, Land and trumpeter Blue Mitchell worked regularly in a quintet up until Mitchell's death in 1979, but this album was just about their only joint recording. With keyboardist Kirk Lightsey, bassist Reggie Johnson, and drummer Al "Tootie" Heath offering solid support, the group performs four originals by Land (including the title cut and "Rapture"), two songs by Lightsey, and Mitchell's "Blue Silver." Fusion may have been the dominant force at the time, but despite Lightsey doubling on electric piano, this is an excellent example of 1977 hard bop.

In honor of the band’s 30th anniversary, the Israeli metal band releases a new live album which contains the recordings of a very special show that Orphaned Land played in June 2021 with a symphony of 60 players! The concert took place during the Covid-19 pandemic, which brought the entire world economy to a standstill. A special gap between lockdowns, were the world seemed normal again for a short period of time, allowed Orphand Land to play a special show in “the hall of fame” of Israel, the Heichal HaTarbut in Tel Aviv, with 2.500 people in attendance. The setlist spans Orphaned Land's discography, featuring their most beloved songs. The live album delivers an emotional journey through their music.

Despite Leonard Feather's raves in the liner note of this CD reissue (which adds two additional selections to the original five-song LP), the music on this post-bop set by tenor saxophonist Harold Land is good but not great. The original five songs (four Land originals plus one by drummer Ndugu) have some dated electronics by keyboardist Bill Henderson and electric bassist Buster Williams (who does play his customary acoustic on some numbers) but also some fiery trumpeter from Oscar Brashear. None of the five originals are all that memorable, but there are some cooking moments, and Land takes a rare turn on oboe during "Pakistan." A similar group (with vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson in Brashear's place) performs the two extra tracks. The modal music, which clearly shows the influences of early fusion and funk, is interesting but very much of its period.