Most of the 1950s Contemporary Records catalog is the bullseye of “West Coast Jazz,” a smoother, more laid-back flavor than the hard bop and soul jazz styles percolating back east. Set in that context, tenor saxman Harold Land’s The Fox stands out for its aggressive speed and punch. Its style would seem more at home on Blue Note or Prestige.
Read the back notes on the beautifully packaged new reissue from Craft Recordings and Acoustic Sounds and clarity emerges. wasn’t born in Contemporary’s studio/shipping room. Instead, it was laid to tape at Radio Recorders, Studio Contemporary reissued it in 1969, and it has rarely been out of print since.
