Jackie McLean - Jacknife

Gentle Giant · May-27th-2003, 03:23 PM

Maybe this album's been reviewed before, but my local library just got some of the Blue Note "Connoisseur CD Series" reissues and the first two I've borrowed, this and Hank Mobley's Thinking of Home (which I'll review in another thread), just blew me away.

Jacknife was recorded on September 24, 1965, certainly an auspicious year in jazz. The lineup is as follows:
Jackie - alto
Charles Tolliver and Lee Morgan - trumpet
Larry Willis - piano
Larry Ridley - bass
Jack DeJohnette - drums

One of the major points of interest, of course, is the two trumpeters. Only on one of the five tracks do they both play, Morgan's Soft Blue. The CD, then offers an unavoidable opportunity to closely compare and contrast. Lee Morgan is one of my absolute faves, so I give him the nod hands down, but really their sounds and styles are quite distinct. Simplistically put (which is the only way I know how), Morgan has a bolder, beefier, somewhat more aggressive sound, while Tolliver is lighter, perhaps more finesse. Both take great solos on the album, although on the aforementioned Soft Blue, Tolliver seems to start off a little ahead of the beat, then towards the end a series of triplets leaves him slightly behind. A quote of Freddie Freeloader by the group adds a nice touch to this great tune.

Anyway, back at the beginning, the albums kicks off his Tolliver's On the Nile, with vaguely Middle Eastern tones launching Jackie into some wodnerful explorations. My personal favorite on the album is the next tune, DeJohnette's Climax, which is a burner.

I was previously unfamiliar with Willis, but I like his playing very much. And DeJohnette is awesome as always. With the group talent and performances at such a high level, Jackie almost takes a back seat on his own album, but his tasty playing is actually the icing on the cake. Love this album!

shrugs · May-28th-2003, 11:29 AM

Willis and Frank Lacy used to be the only reasons to go hear the Hargrove Sextet. Willis has some nice leader dates on Steeplechase.
I think he's on Mobley's Hi Voltage as well.
The title track on Jacknife is worth the price of admission alone. I have this as part of the Mosaic lp set and I think I play this session the most.

Pete C · May-28th-2003, 06:23 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Gentle Giant
The CD, then offers an unavoidable opportunity to closely compare and contrast. Lee Morgan is one of my absolute faves, so I give him the nod hands down, but really their sounds and styles are quite distinct. Simplistically put (which is the only way I know how), Morgan has a bolder, beefier, somewhat more aggressive sound, while Tolliver is lighter, perhaps more finesse.

I'm not sure "lighter" is the best way to describe Tolliver's sound, as it's a very forceful one. Tolliver certainly has a clearer, less gritty, funky sound than Morgan. Like Woody Shaw, Tolliver's tone is largely out of Hubbard, but in his case greatly influenced by a Coltrane sensibility applied to the trumpet. I love Tolliver, and the Hubbard lineage is generally more to my taste.

Tanager · May-28th-2003, 06:57 PM

Just as a general note, I dig the idea of peeps digging up older albums and tossing reviews up here. Lord knows, there's plenty of older stuff I've never heard, let alone owned, so I'm glad to see someone just picking out something they really dig and posting a review. Who cares if it's been reviewed before, I don't think anyone should ever be shy to share their opinions on any particular piece of music.

Way to go, GG.

Tanager · May-28th-2003, 07:48 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Pete C
I'm not sure "lighter" is the best way to describe Tolliver's sound, as it's a very forceful one. Tolliver certainly has a clearer, less gritty, funky sound than Morgan. Like Woody Shaw, Tolliver's tone is largely out of Hubbard, but in his case greatly influenced by a Coltrane sensibility applied to the trumpet. I love Tolliver, and the Hubbard lineage is generally more to my taste.

Not on the subject of this disk, which I've never heard, and I'm not real familiar with Tolliver's playing...but I'm always interested when Lee's sound is described as "gritty," because in his early days (e.g. Blue Train) he really sounds more like Fats Navarro to me - clean, clear attack, big bright sound, the same tree from which Freddie eventually branched off, IMHO. Although I think his best work as a leader is in the early 60s (Candy, Search for the New Land, which was recorded in '64 but released later), I like his playing as a soloist best in the late 50s - his playing on Blue Train was what really pulled me in to the disk, even more than Trane's.

Moving on to Woody Shaw, yeah, he's outta Freddie, but I swear I hear some Miles in there - listen to the beginning of "Sunshowers" off of Rosewood, see if you agree.

Methinks we just need a whole Trumpeters thread.

shrugs · May-29th-2003, 07:29 AM

I hear a lot of Woody in Woody.

Tanager · May-29th-2003, 08:15 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by shrugs
I hear a lot of Woody in Woody.

If that's your way of saying he was a very original player, I won't argue, not even a little - I love the hell outta Woody, and hearing other influences in his playing doesn't repudiate in any way his originality.

If it's a joke, I'm just too freakin' tired to get even the most rudimentary humor, sorry...I'm just stoopid today.

Gentle Giant · May-29th-2003, 12:02 PM

As for Woody, see my review of Hank Mobley's Thinking Of Home; he does some great work on it.

I agree, Pete C, that "light" wasn't the right word to describe Tolliver's sound, but words tend to fail in such things, anyway. Perhaps it's just not as brash as Morgan, although I might be getting myself into more trouble the more I try to define it. Suffice to say, you can hear the difference; personally, I prefer Morgan but think having both on the date adds a depth to the album.

Thanks, Tanager; I, for one, have a very spotty collection when it comes to the classics. There's just too much stuff to buy, which is why I rely on libraries to broaden my listening.

Jimmy J · June-11th-2003, 06:55 AM

I am not too up on my Jackie McLean - would you say this is a good starting point, or what other work of Jackie's should I be checking?

I would buzz most off work that is really swinging, y'know, like tungsten bopping a la Mile's Four and More set. Phew...

shrugs · June-11th-2003, 06:48 PM

grab New Soil. It swings and then some.

Nate Dorward · June-12th-2003, 01:09 AM

I'd always liked the early Prestige date Lights Out!. Unquestionably his early masterpiece is Let Freedom Ring (which makes some gestures towards the avantgarde but is basically in a modal bag). Bluesnik's title track is one of the best things McLean ever did; the rest of the album isn't up to that level but there's certainly nothing unworthy on it. New Soil is interesting though somehow it doesn't quite grab me like the others I mention (has it undergone an RVG restoration? That would be timely: the old CD issue of it had rather middling sound). -- Actually, I've never heard a bad Jackie McLean date on Blue Note from the 1960s. One rather obscure one I'm fond of is Demon Dance, which is worth mentioning simply because it has uncharacteristically ugly cover art for Blue Note--actually, it's one of the ugliest albums I own, period--& so you might pass it up despite its great band (which includes Woody Shaw & Jack DeJohnette) & an interesting set of compositions including a Cal Massey tune.

al j · June-30th-2003, 12:37 AM

I listened to this twice today and feel numb now. Tolliver's compositions SMOKE and Larry Willis fucks shit up.

Gentle Giant · June-30th-2003, 11:03 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Joe Christmas
I listened to this twice today and feel numb now. Tolliver's compositions SMOKE and Larry Willis fucks shit up.

I take it that you enjoyed this album, and that the pianist performed admirably.

al j · June-30th-2003, 11:28 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Gentle Giant
I take it that you enjoyed this album, and that the pianist performed admirably.

You bet! Don't even get me started on when DeJohnette gets down to doin his bizzle.

Jimmy J · July-2nd-2003, 07:48 AM

I assume this is "Demon Dance" because of the DeJohnette reference. I'll check it, thanks mate.

lancer · July-16th-2003, 09:11 PM

Jacknife is a killer session. Its hardcore bop played to perfection. In my opinion one can't go wrong with any of JacMac's material from 1959-1967. He could play inside and outside of the mainstream with fire and distinction. I really enjoy all his stuff especially his collaborations with my main man Grachan Moncur III. Also, if you dig Tolliver try and score The Ringer.

al j · August-18th-2004, 10:19 PM

Holy rhythm section, this date fucking cooks! I should listen to this at least once per quarter.

Richardo Caerleoni · August-19th-2004, 07:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nate Dorward

I'd always liked the early Prestige date Lights Out!. Unquestionably his early masterpiece is Let Freedom Ring (which makes some gestures towards the avantgarde but is basically in a modal bag). Bluesnik's title track is one of the best things McLean ever did; the rest of the album isn't up to that level but there's certainly nothing unworthy on it. New Soil is interesting though somehow it doesn't quite grab me like the others I mention (has it undergone an RVG restoration? That would be timely: the old CD issue of it had rather middling sound). -- Actually, I've never heard a bad Jackie McLean date on Blue Note from the 1960s. One rather obscure one I'm fond of is Demon Dance, which is worth mentioning simply because it has uncharacteristically ugly cover art for Blue Note--actually, it's one of the ugliest albums I own, period--& so you might pass it up despite its great band (which includes Woody Shaw & Jack DeJohnette) & an interesting set of compositions including a Cal Massey tune.

NATE- thank you- For ONCE A post I can't argue with! Perfect,On the button."Demon Dance" ?....

To me sort of "out Miles,Miles"? From Lights Out ....to that...and beyond?
A Hell of a journey!

Maybe some day Jackie will get the respect he deserves. He really pushed it.....and had has little rewards

grove47 · August-19th-2004, 02:31 PM

Jackie Mac's New Soil is an essential for drummers because of the great playing of Pete LaRoca and notably his free-form solo on Minor Apprehension, a first-of-its-kind, or so they say (no argument from me, although I don't really care).

I love Charles Tolliver's The Ringer for the tunes, vibe and playing.

Woody, by the way, is considered an innovator by trumpet players and not simply an heir apparent to Freddie. Whatever the case, he is one in the lineage of trumpet masters whose music is studied, including his tunes, which are challenging.

groover · August-19th-2004, 04:16 PM

Demon's Dance is a very good post-bop set. Don't be scared off by the 'Live Evil' era artwork. I paid about $30 for a used copy of the 1991 CD release, but according to AMG, it's being re-issued this year, so you may be able to find it at a more reasonable price, I hope.

P.S. Looks like it's coming out in Japan only, as a 24-bit RVG re-master. Amazon has it listing for $48.99.

BlueMiles · August-19th-2004, 07:47 PM

Yeah, Jackie must be considered one of the greatest artists from what (to me) is Blue Note's artistically most impressive era.

Don't miss "Jackie's Bag," which has such classics as "Appointment in Ghana," "Quadrange," and "Portrait of Doll." Based on this and some other early albums, you might have expected Jackie to turn into a major jazz composer. But that never really happened. He has been much less proflic--and usually not as memorable--than guys such as Shorter, Hancock, and A. Hill.

The ablums with Bobby Hutcherson are very fine--such as "One Step Beyond."

I also recmmend the seemingly hard to find "New and Old Gospel," which features Ornette Coleman on trumpet.

LeMo · August-19th-2004, 08:50 PM

The best of Jackie is concentrated (IMO) between 1962-67 where he has an impressive run of eight albums, "Let Freedom Ring", "One Step Beyond", "Destination Out", "It's Time!", "Right Now!", "Action", "New And Old Gospel", "'Bout Soul", "Demon's Dance", to whom you can add "Jacknife" (only publish in 1975 on the double "Blue Note Series"), one half of "Vertigo", Grachan Moncur III's "Evolution" (1963 with G.M., Lee Morgan, McLean, Bobby Hutcherson, Bob Cranshaw, Tony Williams) and the two live from 1966, "Dr. Jackle" & "Tune Up" than SteepleChase have published at the end of the sevenites, all albums where McLean invented, on the trail of Ornette Coleman what we called today "freebop".

I like some early Blue Note ("New Soil", "Swing, Swang, Swingin'", "Fickle Sonance") some Prestige ("Ligths Out","4, 5 And 6") and even the very first SteepleChase ("Live At Montmartre"), but there's nothing to compare, here, with what he has produced during this four magic years.

If I had to make a choice, I will choose "One Step Beyond", "Destination Out", "New And Old Gospel" and "'Bout Soul" as my favorite.

Richardo Caerleoni · August-21st-2004, 07:42 AM

Plus... "BLUESNIK"...If only for the slashing alto solo on the title track ...and Pete La Roca ?