Nice to hear Jackie Mclean getting some credit. He is definitely one of the best altoist of the post-Bird era - together with Lou Donaldson - maybe an even more underrated musician. I love the stuff he does in the movie The Connection, though it was clearly a bad time in his life on a personal level. A very lovable soul - who put his own personal stamp on bebop .
Your presentation articulated Jackie ever so well. I too am spellbound with his sound and hard bop ideas. He's got the tastiest alto I've ever heard and would rather listen to him than Bird who is phenomenal. I try to get his sound, but NO WAY. I also try to get Joe Henderson's sound, but NO WAY. They are my hero's on horns and I will always appreciated them for what they contributed to us when alive. They left a legend that will remain forever in Jazz.
I love Jackie and I have a similar story about finding him. When I lived in NYC in the 80s I would buy used records from my buddy Mike who had like 20K Jazz LPs. What he wouldn't sell he would tape for me. One day he gave me a tape of Let Freedom Ring and man, that record blew me away. Like you, I think I played that tape for a year. So fast forward to 2017 when I turned 54 and I thought, well its now or never. I picked up the alto and have been giving it a go. I have a wall I face when I practice full of photos of my musical heroes. I talk to those guys and Jackie is just looking back at me; pushing me.
Jackie wanted to sound exactly like Bird, and didn't care if anyone thought he was just a copycat clone. He sounds NOTHING like Bird. Very original. Out of Bird, yet totally his own sound.
Why on earth does this lady need to explain Jackie M to the world? Forget all this needless rambling. Just go buy -- not download -- buy a CD or LP of "One Step Beyond": and...just...listen.
Hmmm. Well, from Immanuel Wilkins to Arnold Lee to Lummie Spann, I've heard all of the last few great alto players with a similar sound, so I guess I'm here. And I'm not commenting on that, anyhow. I'm commenting on the greatness of one of the greatest voices in the music not needing to be explained in 2023, especially by a young white person. It feels wrong because it is.
Totally stoked that such knowledgable people, like @themediumprofessor, are contributing here. TBH, I wasn’t aware of Jackie McClean before hearing Hanahan describe her own appreciation. Many of us learn in different ways and I’m happy for all of it. PS @themediumprofessor, thx for these recommends… Immanuel Wilkins, Arnold Lee, Lummie Spann… If we wanted to follow up on any of these, would there be first album or track to which you’d commend our attention?
@@Player-To-Player I think my responses keep getting auto deleted somehow but my picks: Immanuel: "The 7th Hand," Blue Note (Spotify) Lummie: "Live & Direct," NJW (Spotify) Arnold: "The Arnold Lee Quartet," independent (Spotify)
