Hadley Caliman - Iapetus / vinyl LP

The first-ever vinyl reissue of Hadley Caliman‘s 1971 cult classic 'Iapetus' arrives courtesy of WeWantSounds, presented in its original gatefold sleeve with newly remastered audio, unissued session photographs, and fresh liner notes penned by Todd Cochran. This modal, spiritual-jazz set was the saxophonist’s second outing for Mainstream Records, recorded later the same year as his self-titled debut and with a wholly different cast of players, among them the well-known trumpeter Luis Gasca. The record has since earned its standing as a cult classic within jazz circles, a quietly persuasive reminder of how much Hadley Caliman had to offer as a leader.

Alongside Hadley Caliman on tenor saxophone and flute are James Leary on bass, Victor Pantoja on congas, Woody Theus on drums, Todd Cochran on piano, Hungria Garcia on timbales and Luis Gasca on trumpet.

Often cited as a contemporary of Harold Land and Art Farmer, Hadley Caliman spent the mid-to-late 1960s in Gerald Wilson‘s big band before striking out on his own and lending his horn to many well-known names through the 1970s. He turns up on some of the finest work by Joe Henderson, Johnny Hammond, Bobby Hutcherson and Patrice Rushen — Canyon Lady, Gears, Knucklebean and Prelusion among them — and across a long career, he shared the bandstand and the studio with the likes of Carlos Santana, Dexter Gordon, Freddie Hubbard and Elvin Jones.

Rooted in San Francisco and the wider West Coast scene, Hadley Caliman played an introspective post-bop that drew frequent comparison with John Coltrane, and in later life, he became an integral part of the performing and teaching jazz worlds around Seattle. He was something of an unsung maverick, and some felt he ran his own dates a touch too democratically; yet on Iapetus, the balance struck between every player is precisely what gives the music its welcome charge and its many dynamic sparks.

Four of the six tracks were written by the San Francisco pianist and composer Todd Cochran, who, around the time of the original release, cut two albums of his own for Prestige Records under the name Bayeté — one of them, Worlds Around The Sun, now a prized item in its own right. He had also recently composed the title piece of Bobby Hutcherson‘s Blue Note album Head On, and his writing gives Iapetus much of its shape.

Hadley Caliman takes up the flute on ‘Dee’s Glee’ and ‘Quadrivium’, both his own compositions, and whether on flute or on tenor for the slower numbers such as ‘Green Eyes’, he sounds thoroughly in his element; a deep sensitivity runs right through his playing.

The emotive trumpet of Luis Gasca lends real depth and texture to the open, funk-tinged ‘Watercress’, which rides a heavy bassline and some superb ensemble playing.