Hank Mobley - Messages (Reissue)

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1976
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 76:15
Size: 175,5 MB
Art: Front

( 6:57)  1. Bouncing With Bud
( 5:41)  2. 52nd Street Theme
( 6:15)  3. Minor Disturbance
( 7:32)  4. Au Privave
( 8:42)  5. Little Girl Blue
( 6:37)  6. These Are The Things I Love
( 6:04)  7. Message From The Border
( 5:37)  8. Xlento
( 5:49)  9. The Latest
(10:01) 10. I Should Care
( 6:56) 11. Crazeology

With the exception of Hank Mobley's original "Alternating Current," which was left out due to lack of space, this single CD has all of the music from the two Prestige LPs Mobley's Message and Hank Mobley's Second Message; a two-LP set from 1976 which had the same Messages title and catalog number, but also the complete program, is actually the preferred acquisition, but will be difficult to locate. The first session mostly features the fine tenor Hank Mobley jamming on four superior bop standards, including "Bouncing with Bud," "52nd Street Theme" and "Au Privavem" and his own "Minor Disturbance" in a quintet with trumpeter Donald Byrd, pianist Barry Harris, bassist Doug Watkins and drummer Art Taylor; altoist Jackie McLean has a strong cameo on "Au Privave." The second set, recorded a week later, is less of a jam session, with Mobley, trumpeter Kenny Dorham, pianist Walter Bishop, bassist Doug Watkins and drummer Art Taylor essaying three of Mobley's now-obscure compositions, Benny Harris's "Crazeology" and the standards "These Are the Things I Love" and "I Should Care." The two dates give one a good example of Hank Mobley's playing prior to becoming a regular Blue Note artist, where he would create his greatest work. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/messages-mw0000201086

Personnel: Tenor Saxophone – Hank Mobley; Alto Saxophone – Jackie McLean; Bass – Doug Watkins; Drums – Art Taylor; Piano – Barry Harris, Walter Bishop; Trumpet – Donald Byrd, Kenny Dorham 

Messages (Reissue)

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Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers - A Night in Tunisia

Styles: Jazz, Hard Bop
Year: 1957
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 74:48
Size: 172,8 MB
Art: Front

(12:55)  1. A Night in Tunisia
( 7:16)  2. Off the Wall
( 9:46)  3. Theory of Art
( 8:12)  4. Couldn't It Be You?
( 6:30)  5. Evans
(12:30)  6. A Night in Tunisia [alt. take]
( 7:21)  7. Off the Wall [alt. take]
(10:14)  8. Theory of Art [alt. take]

All tracks have been digitally remastered. First Editions Series Recorded at RCA Studio 3, New York, New York on April 8, 1957. Originally released on Vik (1115). Includes liner notes by Nat Hentoff and Mark Gardner. Reissue producer: Ben Young. http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=2887752&style=music&fulldesc=T

Recording information: RCA Studios, New York, NY (04/08/1957).

Personnel: Art Blakey (drums); Jackie McLean (alto saxophone, percussion); Johnny Griffin (tenor saxophone, percussion); Bill Hardman (trumpet, percussion); Sam Dockery (piano); Spanky De Brest (bass).

A Night in Tunisia

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McCoy Tyner & Jackie McLean - It's About Time

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:27
Size: 85.7 MB
Styles: Piano jazz, Saxophone jazz
Year: 1985
Art: Front

[5:56] 1. Spur Of The Moment
[6:34] 2. You Taught My Heart To Sing
[6:19] 3. It's About Time
[6:30] 4. Hip-Toe
[5:38] 5. No Flowers Please
[6:28] 6. Travelin'

Alto Saxophone – Jackie McLean (tracks: 1 to 4); Bass – Ron Carter (tracks: 1, 4, 5); Drums – Al Foster; Electric Bass – Marcus Miller (tracks: 2, 3, 6); Percussion – Steve Thornton (tracks: 2, 3, 6); Piano – McCoy Tyner; Trumpet – John Faddis (tracks: 1, 4). Recorded at: Right Track Studios, New York City, on April 6, 7, 1985

As far as McLean is concerned, the title of this album should be changed to `It`s Overdue,` because almost eight years have passed since this magnificent alto saxophonist entered a recording studio.

In today`s revivalistic climate, McLean is the model for most of the young alto players who are mining the hard-bop lode. But each phrase McLean plays here makes it clear that there is a vast difference between imitation and the real thing. The constant sense of pressure in McLean`s solos the feeling that vital emotional and musical choices are being made at all timesis simply overwhelming; and it seems appropriate when, on one track, either Tyner or bassist Ron Carter begins to moan in approval as McLean carves out an especially heartfelt line. `It`s About Time` is not a perfect setting for McLean. One wishes he had played on all six tracks instead of just four, and trumpeter Jon Faddis gets rather circusy on `Spur of the Moment. But Tyner certainly rises to the occasion throughout (his `Spur of the Moment` solo comes close to shattering the keyboard), while Carter, who has become rather self-indulgent in recent years, seems to be uncommonly involved in the proceedings. ~Larry Kart

It's About Time

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Miles Davis - Blue Period

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1953
File: MP3@128K/s
Time: 19:04
Size: 17,9 MB
Art: Front

(9:56) 1. Bluing
(2:51) 2. Blue Room
(6:16) 3. Out Of The Blue

Blue Period is the third studio album by jazz musician Miles Davis. It was released in 1953 as a 10" LP, his second released by Prestige Records, recorded over the course of two 1951 recording sessions at New York's Apex Studio.

Bluing" and "Out of the Blue", two Davis compositions, were recorded on October 5, 1951, at the same session as the material for his first album The New Sounds (PRLP 124). "Blue Room", composed by Rodgers and Hart, was recorded earlier that year, at the same January 17 recording session as the three tracks used on the various artists LP Modern Jazz Trumpets (PRLP 113). This earlier session was Davis' first for Prestige.

The tracks on Blue Period were split when Prestige reconfigured its recordings for 12-inch LP. "Bluing" and "Out of the Blue" are featured on Dig (PRLP 7012), and two versions of "Blue Room" (including an alternate take) are on the CD of Miles Davis and Horns (originally PRLP 7025). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Period_(album)

Personnel: Miles Davis – trumpet; Jackie McLean – alto saxophone; Sonny Rollins – tenor saxophone; Walter Bishop, Jr. – piano; Tommy Potter – double bass; Art Blakey – drums

On "Blue Room": Miles Davis – trumpet; Sonny Rollins – tenor saxophone; John Lewis – piano; Percy Heath – double bass; Roy Haynes – drums

Blue Period

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Art Blakey & The Jazz Messenger - Tough!

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:12
Size: 76,8 MB
Art: Front

(7:56)  1. Scotch Blues
(7:25)  2. Flight to Jordan
(5:11)  3. Transfiguration
(6:39)  4. Exhibit A
(5:59)  5. Gershwin Medley

Recorded in 1957 but not released until 1966, drummer Art Blakey's Tough! is a swinging hard bop date. Joining Blakey here is saxophone giant Jackie McLean, along with a stellar group of less-appreciated artists including trumpeter Bill Hardman, pianist Sam Dockery, and bassist Spanky DeBrest. While not as essential as some of Blakey's other Jazz Messengers releases, Tough! certainly holds its own. ~ Matt Collar https://www.allmusic.com/album/tough%21-mw0000874203

Personnel: Art Blakey - drums; Jackie McLean - alto saxophone;  Bill Hardman - trumpet;  Sam Dockery - piano;  Spanky DeBrest - bass

Tough!

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Lee Morgan - Lee-Way

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1960/2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:25
Size: 90,7 MB
Art: Front

( 9:25)  1. These Are Soulful Days
( 9:41)  2. The Lion And The Wolf
(12:09)  3. Midtown Blues
( 8:10)  4. Nakatini Suite

This date was one of trumpeter Lee Morgan's more obscure Blue Note sessions, but fortunately, it has been reissued on CD. Matched with altoist Jackie McLean, pianist Bobby Timmons, bassist Paul Chambers, and drummer Art Blakey, Morgan interprets two of Cal Massey's compositions, McLean's "Midtown Blues" and his own blues "The Lion and the Wolf." The music is essentially hard bop with a strong dose of soul; the very distinctive styles of the principals are the main reasons to acquire this enjoyable music. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/lee-way-mw0000125017

Personnel:  Lee Morgan - trumpet; Jackie McLean - alto saxophone; Bobby Timmons - piano; Paul Chambers - bass; Art Blakey - drums

Lee-Way

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Jackie McLean - Let Freedom Ring

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1962
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:09
Size: 87,9 MB
Art: Front

(13:19)  1. Melody For Melonae
( 6:18)  2. I'll Keep Loving You
(10:00)  3. Rene
( 8:31)  4. Omega

Jackie McLean had always been a highly emotional soloist, so it makes sense that he was one of the first hard bop veterans to find a new voice in the burning intensity of jazz's emerging avant-garde. McLean had previously experimented with Coltrane's angular modes and scales and Ornette's concept of chordal freedom, but Let Freedom Ring was the landmark masterpiece where he put everything together and ushered in the era of the modernists at Blue Note. A number of saxophonists were beginning to explore the ability of the instrument to mimic human cries of passion, and here McLean perfected a long, piercing squeal capable of expressing joy, anguish, fury, and more. The music on Let Freedom Ring remained more rooted in hard bop structure than Coleman's, and McLean was still recognizably himself, but that was precisely what was revolutionary about the album: It validated the avant-garde aesthetic, demonstrating that it had enough value to convert members of the old guard, and wasn't just the province of radical outcasts. There are only four pieces, one of which is the surging Bud Powell ballad "I'll Keep Loving You"; the other three are McLean originals ("Melody for Melonae," "Rene," and "Omega," dedicated to his daughter, son, and mother respectively) that spotlight his tremendous inventiveness on extended material and amaze with a smoldering fire that never lets up. Pianist Walter Davis takes the occasional solo, but the record is McLean's statement of purpose, and he accordingly dominates the proceedings, with the busy, free-flowing dialogues of bassist Herbie Lewis and Ornette drummer Billy Higgins pushing him to even greater heights. The success of Let Freedom Ring paved the way for a bumper crop of other modernist innovators to join the Blue Note roster and, artistically, it still stands with One Step Beyond as McLean's greatest work. ~ Steve Huey https://www.allmusic.com/album/let-freedom-ring-mw0000188382

Personnel:  Jackie McLean — alto saxophone;  Walter Davis, Jr. — piano;  Herbie Lewis — bass;  Billy Higgins — drums

Let Freedom Ring

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Kenny Burrell, Jimmy Raney - 2 Guitars

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:14
Size: 112.7 MB
Styles: Bop, Guitar jazz
Year: 1957/1992
Art: Front

[ 8:49] 1. Blue Duke
[ 4:04] 2. Dead Heat
[ 5:11] 3. Pivot
[ 4:47] 4. I'll Close My Eyes
[ 9:27] 5. Little Melonae
[12:21] 6. This Way
[ 4:31] 7. Out Of Nowhere

Alto Saxophone – Jackie Mclean; Bass – Doug Watkins; Drums – Arthur Taylor; Guitar – Jimmy Raney, Kenny Burrell; Piano – Mal Waldron; Trumpet – Donald Byrd. Recorded in 1957.

For this 1957 studio session, the two distinctive but complementary guitarists Kenny Burrell and Jimmy Raney are teamed up in a septet with trumpeter Donald Byrd, altoist Jackie McLean, pianist Mal Waldron, bassist Doug Watkins, and drummer Art Taylor. The full group gets to stretch out on one original each by Watkins and McLean ("Little Melonae") and three from Waldron, while the two standards ("Close Your Eyes" and "Out of Nowhere") are individual features for Burrell and Raney. This is a well-rounded set that may not contain any real surprises, but will be enjoyed by collectors of hard bop. ~Scott Yanow

2 Guitars mc
2 Guitars zippy

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Jackie McLean - Hat Trick

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:54
Size: 123.4 MB
Styles: Bop, Saxophone jazz
Year: 1996
Art: Front

[6:52] 1. Little Melonae
[7:41] 2. A Cottage For Sale
[7:47] 3. Solar
[4:32] 4. Bag's Groove
[5:25] 5. Will You Still Be Mine
[5:47] 6. Left Alone
[4:59] 7. Jackie's Hat
[6:02] 8. Sentimental Journey
[4:47] 9. Bluesnik

Veteran altoist Jackie McLean was not familiar with pianist Junko Onishi's playing until shortly before recording this quartet CD (which also includes bassist Nat Reeves and drummer Lewis Nash), but he was apparently pleased with how she sounded. Onishi's bop-oriented style (which sometimes uses more complex chord voicings) fits in well with McLean, and the results are generally memorable. Jackie McLean, one of the few hard bop stylists to embrace aspects of the avant-garde, sounds quite advanced on the straight-ahead program. His distinctive tone is unchanged from the 1960s, and he still displays all of the fire and enthusiasm he had in his early days. McLean really digs into his two durable originals ("Little Melonae" and "Bluesnik"), five standards, Mal Waldron's "Left Alone" and Onishi's "Jackie's Hat" (based on "Sweet Georgia Brown"), making this outing into something quite special. Recommended. ~Scott Yanow

Hat Trick mc
Hat Trick zippy

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Jackie McLean - A Fickle Sonance

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:03
Size: 80.2 MB
Styles: Bop, Saxophone jazz
Year: 1961/2000
Art: Front

[7:03] 1. Five Will Get You Ten
[5:51] 2. Subdued
[4:51] 3. Sundu
[6:46] 4. A Fickle Sonance
[5:44] 5. Enitnerrut
[4:44] 6. Lost

Alto saxophonist Jackie McLean was one of the few jazz players to come up through bebop and incorporate free jazz into his style. Even though A Fickle Sonance preceded McLean's intense 1962 album Let Freedom Ring, the playing remained in a swinging blues-oriented style, showing no hint of the direction his music was about to take. The sidemen on the date (Tommy Turrentine [trumpet], Sonny Clark [piano], and Butch Warren [bass]) prove to be an invigorating combination of musicians, however not as involved in the burgeoning free music as drummer Billy Higgins. At the time of these sessions, Higgins had already played with Ornette Coleman, providing a link to the avant-garde, but nevertheless his playing follows the hard bop pace of the others. McLean provides two original compositions, "Subdued" and the title track, while Clark, Turrentine, and Warren fill the remaining tracks. ~Al Campbell

A Fickle Sonance

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Gene Ammons - Funky

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1957
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:39
Size: 90,9 MB
Art: Front

( 9:01)  1. Funky
(12:23)  2. Pint Size
( 8:57)  3. Stella By Starlight
( 9:16)  4. King Size

The Gene Ammons all-star jam session recordings of the 1950's are all quite enjoyable and this one is no exception. The great tenor is matched with trumpeter Art Farmer, altoist Jackie McLean, guitarist Kenny Burrell, pianist Mal Waldron, bassist Doug Watkins and drummer Art Taylor for lengthy versions of "Stella By Starlight," the Burrell blues "Funky" and a pair of numbers by arranger Jimmy Mundy. All of the horns plus Burrell and Waldron get ample solo space and Ammons seems to really inspire his sidemen on these soulful bop jams. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/funky-mw0000085895

Personnel:  Gene Ammons - tenor saxophone;  Art Farmer – trumpet;  Jackie McLean - alto saxophone;  Mal Waldron – piano;  Kenny Burrell – guitar;  Doug Watkins – bass;  Art Taylor – drums.

Funky

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Kenny Dorham & Jackie McLean - Inta Somethin'

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1962
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:34
Size: 89,0 MB
Art: Front

(7:13)  1. US
(6:00)  2. It Could Happen To You
(6:06)  3. Let's Face The Music
(6:59)  4. No Two People
(5:01)  5. Lover Man
(7:12)  6. San Francisco Beat

"Originally released in 1962 on the Pacific Jazz label, Inta Somethin' is a wonderful live session from the legendary trumpeter Kenny Dorham and alto sax great Jackie McLean, recorded live at the Jazz Workshop in San Francisco in the winter of 1961. Featuring four standards bookended by two Dorham originals, the album also includes contributions from dynamic bassist Leroy Vinnegar amongst others. Inta Somethin' is a classic hard bop live session that includes a version of Dorham's great 'Uno Mas' a year before the Blue Note album of the same name. Includes original liner notes. 180 gram vinyl." http://www.forcedexposure.com/Catalog/dorham-jackie-mclean-kenny-inta-somethin-lp/DOX.888LP.html

Personnel: Kenny Dorham: trumpet;  Jackie McLean: alto saxophone; Walter Bishop: piano;  Leroy Vinegar: bass; Art Taylor: drums.

Inta Somethin'

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Kenny Dorham - Matador

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1962
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:22
Size: 88,2 MB
Art: Front

( 6:33)  1. El Matador
(11:35)  2. Melanie
( 5:01)  3. Smile
( 5:12)  4. Beautiful Love
( 4:47)  5. Prelude
( 5:12)  6. There Goes My Heart

Kenny Dorham's Matador can safely claim the all too common distinction of being a classic among jazz connoisseurs while virtually unknown to the casual listener. Dorham is joined here by Jackie McLean, Bobby Timmons, Teddy Smith, and J.C. Moses, all of whom deliver outstanding performances. More than anything, this session is perhaps best known for including a stunning version of McLean's composition "Melody for Melonae," used less than a month earlier on his groundbreaking Blue Note LP Let Freedom Ring. For this session, though, the tune is renamed "Melanie" and, if not better, this version at least rivals the take under McLean's leadership. For starters, the addition of another horn adds some tonal depth to the proceedings, a situation arguably lacking in the tune's earlier recording. Also of note is what has to be Bobby Timmons' most intense moment on record. One rarely has the opportunity to hear Timmons dig and scrape as hard as he does during this solo, and his barely audible vocal accompaniment (à la Bud Powell) only helps to prove this point. This is a case where a performer not commonly associated with seriously stretching out goes at it with a life-affirming fervor, making "Melanie" a treat for listeners who revel in emotional performances. Other highlights include the opener, "El Matador," a 5/4 number that, frankly, fades out just when things were getting good, and the otherwise unaccompanied Dorham/Timmons duet, "Prelude." A fantastic session by any standard. ~ Brandon Burke http://www.allmusic.com/album/matador-mw0000369703

Personnel: Kenny Dorham (trumpet); Jackie McLean (alto saxophone); Bobby Timmons, Walter Bishop (piano); Teddy Smith, Leroy Vinnegar (bass); J.C. Moses, Art Taylor (drums).

Matador

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Jackie McLean - The Source Vol. 2

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:23
Size: 161.1 MB
Styles: Bop, Saxophone jazz
Year: 1973/1991
Art: Front

[18:36] 1. Half Nelson
[ 7:18] 2. I Can't Get Started
[19:02] 3. On The Trail
[ 0:21] 4. Closing
[13:31] 5. Another Hair-Do
[11:05] 6. Dexter Digs In
[ 0:27] 7. Closing (2)

Veteran tenor Dexter Gordon and altoist Jackie McLean teamed up for a few club dates in 1973 and the results have been released on two Steeple Chase albums; the other one is The Meeting. Unlike the earlier release which focused on lesser-known material, The Source features the saxophonists on three jazz standards (Miles Davis's "Half Nelson," "I Can't Get Started" and Charlie Parker's "Another Hair-Do") in addition to reviving Dexter Gordon's 1947 composition "Dexter Digs In." The music is a bit loose and long-winded ("Half Nelson" is over 18 minutes long) but recommended to straightahead jazz fans. ~Scott Yanow

The Source

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Jackie McLean & John Jenkins - Alto Madness

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1957
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:45
Size: 91,1 MB
Art: Front

(11:52)  1. Alto Madness
( 7:03)  2. Windy City
( 6:54)  3. The Lady Is A Tramp
( 7:39)  4. Easy Living
( 6:15)  5. Pondering

Altoists Jackie McLean and John Jenkins previously shared equal billing with Phil Woods, Gene Quill, and Hal McKusick for the album Bird Feathers, on which the saxophonists paid tribute to Charlie Parker on Parker's blues "Bird Feathers" supported by the fine boppish rhythm section of pianist Wade Legge, bassist Doug Watkins, and drummer Art Taylor. McLean, Jenkins, Legge, Watkins, and Taylor also recorded the five tracks here heard on Alto Madness at the same May 3, 1957 session that produced "Bird Feathers," and they continued the tribute to Parker in practically every phrase they played. McLean became much more individual within a few years, while Jenkins would fade from the scene altogether. This likable jam session features plenty of tradeoffs by the two altoists. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/alto-madness-mw0000203137

Personnel: Jackie McLean, John Jenkins (alto saxophone); Wade Legge (piano); Doug Watkins (bass); Art Taylor (drums).

Alto Madness

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Jackie McLean - Dynasty

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1990
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:18
Size: 161,5 MB
Art: Front

(7:37)  1. Five
(3:07)  2. Bird Lives
(5:33)  3. A House Is Not A Home
(7:50)  4. Third World Express
(6:13)  5. Dance Little Mandissa
(9:59)  6. J. Mac's Dynasty
(7:08)  7. Knot The Blues
(7:52)  8. Zimbabwe
(8:50)  9. King Tut's Strut
(6:05) 10. Muti-Woman

This is one of the great Jackie McLean albums. After nearly a decade away from recording, the veteran altoist teamed up with his son, René McLean (who triples on tenor, soprano, and flute), pianist Hotep Idris Galeta, bassist Nat Reeves, and drummer Carl Allen for a very passionate and high-powered live set. Whether it be originals by René (including "J. Mac's Dynasty") or Galeta, a very intense version of "A House Is Not a Home," or Jackie's "Bird Lives," this is dynamic and consistently exciting music. The go-for-broke solos (which transcend any easy categories) and Jackie's unique sharp tone make this an essential CD, one of the top recordings to be released in 1990. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/dynasty-mw0000275425

Personnel:  Alto Saxophone – Jackie McLean;  Bass – Nat Reeves;  Drums – Carl Allen;  Piano – Hotep Idris Galeta;  Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone – René McLean

Dynasty

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Lee Morgan - The Best Of Lee Morgan

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:46
Size: 166.6 MB
Styles: Bop, Trumpet jazz
Year: 1988
Art: Front

[ 6:25] 1. Ceora
[10:24] 2. The Sidewinder
[ 5:32] 3. Speedball
[ 9:26] 4. A Night In Tunisia
[ 5:36] 5. Since I Fell For You
[10:28] 6. The Rumproller
[ 7:06] 7. I Remember Clifford
[ 8:46] 8. Mr. Kenyatta
[ 8:59] 9. Cornbread

Alto Saxophone – Gigi Gryce (tracks: 7), Jackie McLean (tracks: 9); Baritone Saxophone – Pepper Adams (tracks: 4); Bass – Bob Cranshaw (tracks: 2, 3), Butch Warren (tracks: 8), Doug Watkins (tracks: 5), Larry Ridley (tracks: 1, 9), Paul Chambers (3) (tracks: 4, 7), Victor Sproles (tracks: 6); Drums – "Philly" Joe Jones (tracks: 4), Art Taylor (tracks: 5), Billy Higgins (tracks: 1 to 3, 6, 8, 9), Charlie Persip (tracks: 7); Guitar – Grant Green (tracks: 8); Piano – Barry Harris (2) (tracks: 2), Bobby Timmons (tracks: 4), Harold Mabern Jr. (tracks: 3), Herbie Hancock (tracks: 1, 8, 9), Ronnie Mathews (tracks: 6), Sonny Clark (tracks: 5), Wynton Kelly (tracks: 7); Tenor Saxophone – Benny Golson (tracks: 7), Hank Mobley (tracks: 1, 9), Joe Henderson (tracks: 2, 6), Wayne Shorter (tracks: 3, 8); Trumpet – Lee Morgan.

Curious listeners who encounter Lee Morgan for the first time through this single-disc anthology will come away mightily impressed, even inspired, but they will be hearing only the first part of the story. The album picks up on his teenage whiz kid days circa 1957, then jumps ahead to his renaissance in 1963-1965 as the high priest of hard bop boogaloo. Besides showcasing Morgan's brash, crackling, infinitely expressive trumpet playing, the album does a good job of emphasizing his abundant, still-underrated gifts as a composer -- with "The Sidewinder," of course, but also the strikingly lovely bossa nova "Ceora" and the near standard "Speedball." With its three bonus tracks, "I Remember Clifford," "Cornbread," and especially "Mr. Kenyatta," the CD version adds compelling corroborating evidence of Morgan's originality. The major hang-up, alas, is that the album cuts off the time line at 1965, thus leaving out Morgan's gradual move away from boilerplate hard bop toward modal, progressive explorations that reached an exciting peak on 1970's Live at the Lighthouse. The selections included here will no doubt satisfy those who would want to keep this tremendous talent locked into a single airtight box -- and frankly, it would be difficult to dispute any of the choices on their own terms. But the rest of Morgan's tragically aborted evolution deserves representation on a set like this. ~Richard S. Ginnell

The Best Of Lee Morgan

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Freddie Redd Quartet, Jackie McLean - Music From The Connection

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:27
Size: 88.0 MB
Styles: Bop, Piano jazz
Year: 1960/1995
Art: Front

[5:20] 1. Who Killed Cock Robin
[5:55] 2. Wigglin'
[5:49] 3. Music Forever
[6:21] 4. Time To Smile
[4:42] 5. Theme For Sister-Salvation
[5:38] 6. Jim Dunn's Dilemna
[4:39] 7. O.D. (Overdose)

Alto Saxophone – Jackie McLean; Bass – Michael Mattos; Drums – Larry Ritchie; Piano, Composed By [Music] – Freddie Redd. Recorded at Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey on February 15, 1960.

Freddie Redd composed the music for Jack Gelber's The Connection, a gritty play about musician junkies. Gelber had originally thought that the play would feature real musicians -- who would also double as actors in minor roles -- improvising on blues and jazz standards in the tradition of Charlie Parker, but Redd convinced him to use an original score. The two weaved Redd's original compositions into the score, making it an integral part of the play, but the music holds up superbly on its own. Using the direction "in the tradition of Charlie Parker" as a starting point, the pianist wrote seven pieces of straight-ahead bop, wide open for improvisations, and then assembled a sterling quartet featuring himself, alto saxophonist Jackie McLean, bassist Michael Mattos, and drummer Larry Ritchie. The end result was a set of dynamic straight-ahead bop. While both Redd and McLean show signs of their influences -- the pianist blends Monk and Powell, while the saxophonist has built off of Bird's twisting lines -- they have developed their own voices, which gives the driving, bluesy bop on Music From the Connection an edge. McLean's full, robust tone often dominates, but he never overshadows Redd's complex, intricate playing, and both musicians, as well as Mattos and Ritchie, effortlessly keep up with the changes from hard-hitting, up-tempo bop numbers to lyrical, reflective ballads. Musically, Music From the Connection might not offer anything unexpected, but whenever straight-ahead bop is done this well, it should be celebrated. ~Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Music From The Connection

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Miles Davis Feat. Sonny Rollins - Dig

Styles: Trumpet And Saxophone Jazz

Year: 2010

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 45:39

Size: 104,8 MB

Art: Front

(7:36)  1. Dig

(5:26)  2. It's Only A Paper Moon

(5:42)  3. Denial

(9:56)  4. Bluing

(6:19)  5. Out Of The Blue

(4:01)  6. Conception (Bonus Track)

(6:35)  7. My Old Flame (Bonus Track)

Tenor saxophonist Sonny Rollins was present as a member of the Miles Davis sextet (alto saxophonist Jackie McLean, pianist Walter Bishop, bassist Tommy Potter, drummer Art Blakey) on Dig, which was part of a 10/5/51 session, all of which was also on a two-fer. I love this music, but I have to admit it sounds dated. This wasn't Miles Davis' best, but I've always appreciated it for McLean's cutting sax work. ~ Bob Rush http://www.allmusic.com/album/dig-mw0000652733

Alto Saxophone – Jackie McLean;  Bass – Tommy Potter;  Drums – Art Blakey;  Piano – Walter Bishop, Jr.;  Tenor Saxophone – Sonny Rollins;  Trumpet – Miles Davis

Dig

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Jackie McLean - The New Tradition

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:58
Size: 91.5 MB
Styles: Bop, Saxophone jazz
Year: 1955/2009
Art: Front

[6:45] 1. It's You Or No One
[6:55] 2. Blue Doll
[6:23] 3. Little Melonae
[6:25] 4. The Way You Look Tonight
[6:53] 5. Mood Malody
[6:35] 6. Lover Man

Jackie McLean hasn't had too many kind things to say about the recordings he made prior to signing with Blue Note in 1959. The alto saxophonist is quick to dismiss his pre-1959 work, which he feels pales in comparison to his stunning Blue Note output of 1959-1967. But while it is true that McLean recorded his most adventurous and essential albums for Blue Note, the saxman's pre-Blue Note recordings aren't without merit. Recorded in 1955, The New Tradition is a Spanish reissue that contains his first recordings as a leader. Joined by trumpeter Donald Byrd, pianist Mal Waldron, bassist Doug Watkins, and drummer Ronald Tucker, a 24-year-old McLean leads a conventional bop date that ranges from two originals ("Blue Doll" and "Little Melonae") to performances of the standards "It's You or No One," "The Way You Look Tonight," and "Lover Man." In 1955, there was plenty of Charlie Parker in McLean's tone -- nonetheless, he was striving for originality, and the saxman was growing increasingly distinctive. If McLean told you that this session fell short of the brilliance of 1960s Blue Note classics like Demon's Dance, One Step Beyond, Let Freedom Ring, and Right Now!, he would be speaking the truth. In 1955, McLean still had some growing and developing to do -- just as John Coltrane still had some growing and developing to do when he was in Dizzy Gillespie's employ in the early '50s. But that doesn't mean that this CD is bad. Although far from essential, The New Tradition is a decent bop outing that will appeal to collectors, historians, and hardcore fans. ~Alex Henderson

The New Tradition

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