Blue Note, 1965
Jackie McLean’s evocative 1965 album Jacknife captured the alto saxophonist in an envelope-pushing post-bop mode. The session featured two trumpeters—Lee Morgan and Charles Tolliver—who are heard together to great effect on Morgan’s groovy “Soft Blue,” but otherwise take turns in the spotlight. McLean also assembled a deeply engaged rhythm section for the date featuring pianist Larry Willis, bassist Larry Ridley, and drummer Jack DeJohnette. McLean’s fiery sound ignites a wide range of material from the expansive modal explorations of Tolliver’s “On The Nile” to the churning rhythms of DeJohnette’s “Climax” to McLean’s own “Blue Fable,” which delivers a loping melody over shifting feels before settling into a deep pocketed swing for emphatic solos by McLean and Morgan.
Tracklist
Side A
Side B
Blue Note Records’ Tone Poet Audiophile Vinyl Reissue Series is produced by Joe Harley and features all-analog, mastered-from-the-original-master-tape 180g audiophile vinyl reissues in deluxe gatefold packaging. Mastering is by Kevin Gray (Cohearent Audio) and vinyl is manufactured at Record Technology Incorporated (RTI).
