Harold Land’s hard bop album “The Fox” was originally released in 1960, with Contemporary Records reissuing it in ‘69. Featuring Harold Land (tenor sax), Dupree Bolton (trumpet), Elmo Hope (piano), Herbie Lewis (bass), Frank Butler (drums) it was produced by David Axelrod. This new edition features remastered hi-res audio from the original tapes.

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.

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.