Native Lands

AMG Review of Native Lands

Scott Yanow
All Music Guide

Drummer Will Calhoun's Native Lands is a rather ambitious effort and quite successful. The personnel changes on each selection, ranging from a quintet with tenor-saxophonist Pharoah Sanders and trumpeter Wallace Roney to several duets, solo pieces for Will Calhoun on a variety of instruments, and even a 30-second statement on drums from two-year old Tateich Calhoun. The leader wrote the majority of the selections yet does not dominate, and his many illustrious sidemen have opportunities to stretch out. The post is post-bop jazz, sometimes looking towards Africa, always rhythmically interesting, and never dull or meandering. The accompanying DVD is part travelogue, part documentary of the record dates, and also holds one's interest. Recommended.