Hadley Caliman Iapetus

• 1. Watercress
• 2. Ambivalence
• 3. Dee's Glee
• 4. Iapetus
• 5. Quadrivium
• 6. Green Eyes

Los Angeles saxophonist Hadley Caliman never quite received the same level of canonisation as some of his West Coast contemporaries, which makes this 1972 spiritual jazz gem feel all the more rewarding to revisit. Recorded for Bob Shad's Mainstream label with a formidable cast including Todd Cochran, Woody "Sonship" Theus and Luis Gasca, the album moves between deep modal meditation and bright, Latin-leaning jazz fusion. 'Watercress' glides on warm electric piano figures and loose percussion, while 'Ambivalence' pushes further into cosmic territory through Cochran's dense arrangements and Caliman's searching tenor lines. Elsewhere, 'Quadrivium' locks into a smoky jazz-funk groove before the title track drifts beautifully into expansive, after-hours abstraction.