The formation of Bobby Hutcherson’s quintet with Harold Land in California in early 1968, which followed a marijuana bust in New York with drum partner Joe Chambers and the subsequent loss of his NY permit to play nightclubs, offered Blue Note’s star vibes player a reassuring new start, particularly with their excellent first date, Total Eclipse

(reviewed in Jazzwise 299).

Hot on its heels they hit Rudy Van Gelder’s studios for the Spiral sessions later that year and followed up with Medina in summer 1969. Had these albums been released at the time, they would have significantly upped the trajectory and profile of this important quintet, but they were shelved, possibly due to changing jazz trends and market pressures from Blue Note’s new owners Liberty Records. Thankfully Michael Cuscuna liberated them from the tape vaults for release on Blue Note’s LT series in 1980, and CD in 1998. Now Medina is back on vinyl, cut directly from the original master tapes by Kevin Gray.

Arguably the most captivating work this particular quintet recorded, its writing, from Hutcherson, Cowell and Chambers, combines modernist post-bop with avant-garde aspects of Hutcherson’s earlier Blue Note gems. The leader’s opener ‘Avis’ with its tricky, driving theme and assertive solos from Hutcherson, Land and Cowell contrasts sharply with his haunting, Erik Satie-influenced introduction to the mid-tempo, minor mode ‘Come Spring’, while pianist Cowell’s notable ‘Orientale’ has Land on flute over an addictive ascending line with Hutcherson’s drier toned vibes elevating this atmospheric eastern-tinged piece to another level.

But it’s Chambers’ title track that grabs maximum attention, much like his writing on previous Hutcherson albums. Over his propulsive, ever shifting polyrhythms, the potent vibes/sax interplay sets up ‘Medina’s’ angular, Arabic-influenced melody. Land ramps the intensity up with a forceful, Coltrane-inspired exploration, his piercing long notes eventually calmed by dark, floating vibes tones before Hutcherson’s switch to a tense repeated phrase to ignite further fireworks is a masterstroke. Medina has never been an easy album to find, miss it this time around at your peril!