Jackie McLean Prestige vs Jackie McClean Blue Note POLL

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

i voted for #1 Jackie McLean Prestige, thats where Jackie Mac was BLOWN the SHEEEZ-IT! jackies discog. is way different than hanks, hank kind of was like always on bluenote, maybe makin a session for someone else here n there but essentially always on bn. jackie like started out on prestige and when to blue note only like way later like New soil he had already changed his style a lot. he was on that one early miles blue note right but in general jackie didnt """come to the label"""" till much later

[Gheorghe]

Jackie McLean is one of my favourite musicians. I love everything he did.

But I think it was the typical „Prestige problem“. They wanted to do all those recordings without time for rehearsal, and very little possibilities for own originals or arrangements.

Anyway, it is great music. Jackie McLeans plays more standards on the Prestige albums, stuff like „Sentimental Journey“ etc.

I think, he got more possibilities from Alfred Lion and Francis Wolff to develope his own style. He couldn´t have done records like „One Step Beyond“ for Prestige.

With all due respect to all the great musicians I heard live, I´ll never forget the two occasions when I had the luck to see Jackie McLean on stage. And I love his sound.

[sidewinder]

I´ll never forget the two occasions when I had the luck to see Jackie McLean on stage. And I love his sound.

Same here ! Got to meet him very briefly on one occasion also and get his squiggle on a 'Jazz Bakery' programme. He was friendly !

McLean's Prestiges are fine albums and full of burning solos but the Blue Note material for me has more artistic development and really is truly of its time. A fascinating personal journey he made through to the late 60s !

Edited October 18, 2011 by sidewinder

[brownie]

Jackie McLean was one of my early idols when I was getting into jazz. Got the Prestige albums shortly after they came out. Loved the music in the raw that exploded on those sessions. Still get kicks out of them...

...but I tend to prefer the BN ones. McLean got maturity (thanks to Mingus?) while keeping his spontaneity. 'Let Freedom Ring' was the album I listened to over and over.

Was delighted to catch him for the first time back at NY Slug's when I visited the club with Cecil Taylor in 1967. Rashied Ali was the drummer of the quartet. Heard McLean at the Paris New Morning much later.

I miss the chances to listen to McLean live!

[Clunky]

I prefer McLean's BN sessions by some margin but his Prestige dates are pretty decent and well worth hearing. Saw him once live in Aberdeen in 1989? featured as part of a touring Art Blakey ensemble. It was one of Bu's last UK dates. The band also included Benny Golson & Curtis Fuller. I was totally in awe having just heard and been mesmerised by Cool and Struttin which was my first exposure to MacLean.

[JohnS]

Can't choose, I really like his Prestige recordings (for some reason I tend to enjoy the relaxed feel of these sessions) but then some of his very best playing is on BN so I wouldn't want to be without them.

Unfortunately never got to see Jackie live. He wasn't that frequent a visitor to my part of the world.

[Stereojack]

Jackie's Prestige dates are largely blowing sessions, but the blowing is very good, especially on "Lights Out" and "A Long Drink of the Blues". The Blue Note dates are, for the most part, more ambitious, better organized and focussed. I especially like "One Step Beyond", "Destination Out", "A Fickle Sonance", to name three.

[Tom 1960]

No disrespect for Jackie's Prestige sides which I think I must own close to if not all. Far and away his Blue Note titles do it for me. Consequence, Jackknife, Vertigo, Destination Out, It's Time, Right Now! Gosh, it don't get much better than that.

[jazzbo]

Like the Prestige, love the Blue Note.

[Hardbopjazz]

For me it is the Blue Note session. Back in the late 80s or early 90s Jackie McLean was interviewed on WKCR. He mentioned he liked his Blue Note session over the Prestige recordings. There was more fund provided for the Blue Note recordings, whereas for Prestige he had to pay for a copy of a record he just recorded with Miles Davis.

[JSngry]

Loved my kids when they were teenagers, love them now that they're adults.

But in different ways and for (some) different reasons.

[JohnS]

Loved my kids when they were teenagers, love them now that they're adults.

But in different ways and for (some) different reasons.

Nicely put Jim.

[Dan Gould]

I love my kids as adults but only up to a certain point. Then they made choices I simply can't support. But they had more money as adults and a better grasp of their capabilities, so before they went off on their own in search of their true selves, they were good. Real good.

Have I pushed Jim's analogy too far?

[Guy Berger]

I love my kids as adults but only up to a certain point. Then they made choices I simply can't support. But they had more money as adults and a better grasp of their capabilities, so before they went off on their own in search of their true selves, they were good. Real good.

Have I pushed Jim's analogy too far?

I don't share Dan's feelings about Jackie's "adult" phase, but I did smile at his analogy.

Guy

[golfcrazy1984]

Loved my kids when they were teenagers, love them now that they're adults.

But in different ways and for (some) different reasons.

Well said! I had to go with the Blue Note, as they were better planned. However, there is a lot to enjoy about the Prestiges, more bop and straight ahead swingin' than later on.

[Pete C]

No contest for me. McLean's Blue Note output from 1963-65 is among the best, most profound jazz ever recorded.

[Morganized]

I went with his Blue Note years.. He seemed to gain confidence in his "sound" and as other have mentioned, it seems that he had more creative freedom at Blue Note. Let Freedom Ring, Right Now, Jacknife.....what is there left to say! Great stuff.

[paul secor]

Can't choose between the two. Like the more relaxed (well, as relaxed as Jackie could get) and looser feeling of the Prestiges. And I like the tighter more focused Blue Notes.

Edited October 18, 2011 by paul secor

[JSngry]

I love my kids as adults but only up to a certain point. Then they made choices I simply can't support. But they had more money as adults and a better grasp of their capabilities, so before they went off on their own in search of their true selves, they were good. Real good.

Have I pushed Jim's analogy too far?

Not at all, because that "certain point" is where you can grow to understand how to love somebody who does things you don't understand, much less agree with.

Believe me, kids will do that to you in a big way...

[clifford_thornton]

Loved my kids when they were teenagers, love them now that they're adults.

But in different ways and for (some) different reasons.

Nicely put Jim.

Indeed.

I had the opportunity of seeing him once with Grachan, Hutcherson, Rene and I forget who was playing bass and drums. It was a nice gig. Jackie was cool as they come, too - intense, but very cool and a neat guy to interview.

[Gheorghe]

Loved my kids when they were teenagers, love them now that they're adults.

But in different ways and for (some) different reasons.

Nicely put Jim.

Indeed.

I had the opportunity of seeing him once with Grachan, Hutcherson, Rene and I forget who was playing bass and drums. It was a nice gig. Jackie was cool as they come, too - intense, but very cool and a neat guy to interview.

Great! Must have been a great evening!

I also had the opportunity to see Jackie with Bobby Hutcherson, Herbie Lewis and Billy Higgins, one of the greatest experiences I ever had. Imagine, a combination of the musicians who played on "Let Freedom Ring" and "One Step Beyond"....

[Dan Gould]

I love my kids as adults but only up to a certain point. Then they made choices I simply can't support. But they had more money as adults and a better grasp of their capabilities, so before they went off on their own in search of their true selves, they were good. Real good.

Have I pushed Jim's analogy too far?

Not at all, because that "certain point" is where you can grow to understand how to love somebody who does things you don't understand, much less agree with.

Believe me, kids will do that to you in a big way...

I'm sure, except that my kids are short, hairy, walk on all fours, and don't speak clearly.

[clifford_thornton]

Loved my kids when they were teenagers, love them now that they're adults.

But in different ways and for (some) different reasons.

Nicely put Jim.

Indeed.

I had the opportunity of seeing him once with Grachan, Hutcherson, Rene and I forget who was playing bass and drums. It was a nice gig. Jackie was cool as they come, too - intense, but very cool and a neat guy to interview.

Great! Must have been a great evening!

I also had the opportunity to see Jackie with Bobby Hutcherson, Herbie Lewis and Billy Higgins, one of the greatest experiences I ever had. Imagine, a combination of the musicians who played on "Let Freedom Ring" and "One Step Beyond"....

The music wasn't, obviously, as fiery as it must have been long ago, but to see them perform "Love and Hate" was stunning. Jackie said one of his major influences was the pianist Valdo Williams (who recorded very little).

[Free For All]

I love my kids as adults but only up to a certain point. Then they made choices I simply can't support. But they had more money as adults and a better grasp of their capabilities, so before they went off on their own in search of their true selves, they were good. Real good.

Have I pushed Jim's analogy too far?

Not at all, because that "certain point" is where you can grow to understand how to love somebody who does things you don't understand, much less agree with.

Believe me, kids will do that to you in a big way...

I'm sure, except that my kids are short, hairy, walk on all fours, and don't speak clearly.

So the apple didn't fall far from the tree, eh?

[sidewinder]

Reading this thread again has me thinking about the two McLean gigs I saw. The first was with his 'Hartford' sextet with Rene, Steve Davis and Phil Bowler. The second, at the Jazz Bakery, had Jackie with Cedar Walton, David Williams and Billy Higgins.

Unfortunately never got to see Jackie live. He wasn't that frequent a visitor to my part of the world.

I can remember when he played the Camden Fest around 1980 John, at the Shaw Theatre - and it got rave reviews at the time. Unfortunately I was away from London and couldn't take advantage.