Bobby Hutcherson - San Francisco (2023 Blue Note Classic Vinyl 180g LP)

A landmark recording in Bobby Hutcherson's distinguished Blue Note discography, San Francisco captures the vibraphonist at a transitional moment in jazz history, bridging adventurous post-bop with the emerging jazz-funk aesthetic of the early 1970s. Recorded on 15 July 1970 at UA Studios in Los Angeles with tenor saxophonist Harold Land, pianist Joe Sample (of The Crusaders), bassist John Williams, and drummer Mickey Roker, this album demonstrates how sophisticated musicians navigated the stylistic shifts toward electric instruments and funk grooves without compromising harmonic depth or improvisational integrity. Producer Duke Pearson's guidance ensures the six compositions balance accessibility with artistic substance, from the opening "Goin' Down South" through the evocative closer "A Night In Barcelona".

Joe Sample's presence is crucial, his electric piano work adding contemporary texture while his acoustic piano maintains connection to hard bop tradition. Harold Land's tenor saxophone, warm and melodically inventive, provides perfect frontline partnership with Hutcherson's shimmering vibraphone, marimba, and percussion. John Williams' use of both acoustic and electric bass reflects the era's instrumental evolution, while Mickey Roker's drumming moves effortlessly between swing and funk as each composition requires. Land's rare use of oboe on "Procession" adds distinctive colour rarely heard in jazz-funk contexts.

This 20 January 2023 reissue represents state-of-the-art contemporary vinyl production. Kevin Gray, working at Cohearent Audio, has remastered and cut lacquers from the original tapes, while Optimal Media in Germany has pressed this on 180-gram vinyl. This combination of Gray's audiophile expertise and Optimal's pressing quality (consistently ranked among the world's finest plants) ensures this is likely the best-sounding edition of San Francisco ever available, superior to the original 1970 pressing in clarity and dynamics while maintaining tonal accuracy. Part of Blue Note's Classic Vinyl Series, this reissue offers collectors and audiophiles a premium presentation of an essential jazz-funk recording.