Lazy Afternoon

Harold Land | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 5, 1999)
• Original Release Date: April 20, 1995
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Postcards
• ASIN: B00000371M
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #71,854 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Lazy Afternoon

2. You Don't Know What Love Is

3. In a Sentimental Mood

4. Nature Boy

5. You Go to My Head

6. But Beautiful

7. Invitation

8. Stella by Starlight

9. The End of a Love Affair

10. You've Changed

11. Wave

12. Round Midnight

Editorial Reviews

JazzTimes, September 1995

Why didn't someone think of this before? . . .timeless pieces, beautifully rendered . . . if you are a seeker of beauty, Harold Land has the answer.

Product Description

On A Lazy Afternoon, the esteemed and seasoned tenor vet Harold Land and drummer Billy Higgins combine forces with the orchestration of Ray Ellis, who arranged Billie Holiday's Lady in Satin, to create a recording of jazz drive, tensile strength, and lush romanticism. For the twelve standards included on the disc, Ellis has crafted deft arrangements that showcase Land's proclivity for emotion-laden performances; the result is a dynamic package that celebrates both melody and rhythm in an atmosphere rich with feeling. For many performers, working with a string section is a long-held dream. The lush backdrop warmly supports an instrumentalist or a singer, setting the stage for emotional, often unforgettable performances. Listen to orchestral albums by such greats as Charlie Parker, Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughan, Clifford Brown, and Johnny Hodges, and the beauty and feeling that arise from these situations is soon appreciated.

A Lazy Afternoon is a stellar contribution to this genre. Here, the consummate tenor saxophone artistry of Harold Land, easily one of jazz's premier improvisers, meets the sumptuous string orchestrations of Ray Ellis, who is best recalled for Lady in Satin, the 1958 session for Columbia Records for which he wrote gorgeous string backdrops for Holiday.

A Lazy Afternoon features ear-pleasing renditions of such evergreens as "You Go To My Head," "Invitation," "You Don't Know What Love Is," "Nature Boy," "In A Sentimental Mood," "Wave," and the title track, "Lazy Afternoon." Land and the string and orchestral palette are accompanied by the ace rhythm team of Billy Higgins (drums), William Henderson (piano), and James Leary (bass).

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "Land in Satin", October 27, 2001

By 

Christopher Enzi (San Francisco) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Lazy Afternoon (Audio CD)

Terrific arrangements by Ray Ellis allude to but never repeat his charts for (five of the same songs) Billie Holiday's "Lady in Satin" If you love that album, this one will make your day! Harold Land's tenor has a lovely tone and the strings support rather than Wrestle him. This is a lovely album for a lazy afternoon or evening!
P.S. If you think Lady in Satin is Billie's worst or find the strings sepulchral or overdone this will NOT be to your taste.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Harold soars with some great standards, January 24, 2004

By 

"adrjay" (Lincoln, Nebraska United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lazy Afternoon (Audio CD)

I've always been a big fan of sax master Harold Land, who still maintains the subtle and incisive manner that he has displayed over decades in the business. This album includes some of the greatest standards that ever were. While it is true that many jazz purists will object to the sometimes intrusive orchestral background on these tracks, Land's remarkable interpretations still manage to soar above everything else. Yeah, it would probably have been better with a small ensemble, but Land's performance remains breathtaking.

5.0 out of 5 stars More Beautiful Than A Bouquet Of Flowers?, October 4, 2011

By 

Down Home Hip to the Jive - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lazy Afternoon (Audio CD)

Had a bad day? Need to tweak your mood. Want to change your "frame of mind" to a mellower one. Play this CD and Harold Land will soothe your soul with standards of serenity. Add the becalming support of an orchestra arranged and conducted by Ray Ellis, and the end results are songs more beautiful than a bouquet of flowers. We're not talking about jazz that falls into the genres of hard bop or bebop; it's far removed from these categories. These melodies remain true to their composers and are played with peerless perfection for their melody and rhythm. This CD is a testimonial to the kind of melodic jazz first-rate jazz musicians create for world-weary listeners who need breathing spells and lulls from the demands of their sometimes hectic lives. The jazz is smooth, but not "smooth jazz", for it is an acoustical production crafted and executed by a fine corps of musicians who understood and mastered the melody and rhythm of each of these twelve classics. The total listening experience is greater than the sum of its parts, just as the beauty of a bouquet exceeds the beauty of any individual flower. Beginning with the Broadway musical song, "Lazy Afternoon", to Thelonious Monk's best-known jazz composition, "Round Midnight", Land caresses each song with unmitigated grace. You're sure to forget your troubles and stress while this relaxing music reveals itself as an antidote for the frustrations of your day. Like a bouquet, these songs have hues of a different color, guaranteed on lifting your spirit . . . performed with tenderness by Harold Land, one of tenor saxophonist's incomparable artists.