Jackie McLean • A Fickle Sonance

 

Review
by Al Campbell
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.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/a-fickle-sonance-mw0000097592


Biography
by Scott Yanow
Jackie McLean has long had his own sound, played slightly sharp and with great intensity; he is recognizable within two notes. McLean was one of the few bop-oriented players of the early '50s who explored free jazz in the '60s, widening his emotional range and drawing from the new music qualities that fit his musical personality.

The son of guitarist John McLean (who played guitar with Tiny Bradshaw), Jackie started on alto when he was 15. As a teenager he was friends with such neighbors as Bud Powell, Thelonious Monk, and Sonny Rollins. He made his recording debut with Miles Davis in 1951 and the rest of the decade could be considered his apprenticeship. McLean worked with George Wallington, Charles Mingus, and Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers (1956-1958). He also participated on a string of jam session-flavored records for Prestige and New Jazz which, due to the abysmal pay and his developing style, he later disowned. Actually they are not bad but pale in comparison to McLean's classic series of 21 Blue Note albums (1959-1967). On sessions such as One Step Beyond and Destination Out, McLean really stretches and challenges himself; this music is quite original and intense yet logical. McLean also appeared as a sideman on some sessions for Blue Note (most notably with Tina Brooks, acted in the stage play The Connection (1959-1961), and led his own groups on a regular basis. By 1968, however, he was moving into the jazz education field and other than some SteepleChase records from 1972-1974 (including two meetings with his early idol Dexter Gordon) and an outing for RCA (1978-1979), McLean was less active as a player during the '70s. However in the '80s Jackie McLean returned to a more active playing schedule (sometimes with his son René McLean on tenor), recording for Triloka, Antilles, and most recently (with a renewed relationship) with Blue Note -- without losing the intensity and passion of his earlier days.
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/jackie-mclean-mn0000127949/biography

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Reseña
por Al Campbell
El saxofonista alto Jackie McLean fue uno de los pocos intérpretes de jazz que pasó por el bebop e incorporó el free jazz a su estilo. Aunque A Fickle Sonance precedió al intenso álbum de 1962 de McLean, Let Freedom Ring, la interpretación se mantuvo en un estilo orientado al blues, sin mostrar ningún indicio de la dirección que iba a tomar su música. Los músicos de acompañamiento de la fecha (Tommy Turrentine [trompeta], Sonny Clark [piano] y Butch Warren [bajo]) demuestran ser una combinación vigorosa de músicos, aunque no tan involucrados en la floreciente música libre como el baterista Billy Higgins. En la época de estas sesiones, Higgins ya había tocado con Ornette Coleman, proporcionando un vínculo con la vanguardia, pero sin embargo su forma de tocar sigue el ritmo de hard bop de los demás. McLean aporta dos composiciones originales, "Subdued" y el tema que da título al disco, mientras que Clark, Turrentine y Warren completan el resto de temas.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/a-fickle-sonance-mw0000097592


Biografía
por Scott Yanow
Jackie McLean ha tenido durante mucho tiempo su propio sonido, tocado de forma ligeramente aguda y con gran intensidad; es reconocible en dos notas. McLean fue uno de los pocos músicos orientados al bop de principios de los 50 que exploró el free jazz en los 60, ampliando su rango emocional y extrayendo de la nueva música cualidades que encajaban con su personalidad musical.

Hijo del guitarrista John McLean (que tocaba la guitarra con Tiny Bradshaw), Jackie empezó a tocar el alto cuando tenía 15 años. De adolescente fue amigo de vecinos como Bud Powell, Thelonious Monk y Sonny Rollins. Debutó en las grabaciones con Miles Davis en 1951 y el resto de la década podría considerarse su aprendizaje. McLean trabajó con George Wallington, Charles Mingus y los Jazz Messengers de Art Blakey (1956-1958). También participó en una serie de discos con sabor a jam session para Prestige y New Jazz de los que, debido a la pésima remuneración y a su estilo en desarrollo, renegó posteriormente. En realidad, no están mal, pero palidecen en comparación con la serie clásica de 21 álbumes de Blue Note (1959-1967) de McLean. En sesiones como One Step Beyond y Destination Out, McLean realmente se estira y se desafía a sí mismo; esta música es bastante original e intensa, aunque lógica. McLean también apareció como músico de acompañamiento en algunas sesiones para Blue Note (sobre todo con Tina Brooks), actuó en la obra de teatro The Connection (1959-1961) y dirigió sus propios grupos con regularidad. En 1968, sin embargo, se dedicó a la enseñanza del jazz y, aparte de algunos discos de SteepleChase entre 1972 y 1974 (incluyendo dos reuniones con su ídolo inicial Dexter Gordon) y una salida para RCA (1978-1979), McLean fue menos activo como intérprete durante los años 70. Sin embargo, en los 80 Jackie McLean volvió a tocar más activamente (a veces con su hijo René McLean como tenor), grabando para Triloka, Antilles y, más recientemente (con una relación renovada), con Blue Note, sin perder la intensidad y la pasión de sus primeros días.
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/jackie-mclean-mn0000127949/biography

Tracks:
1 - Five Will Get You Ten 7:04
2 - Subdued 5:51
3 - Sundu 4:52
4 - A Fickle Sonance 6:47
5 - Enitnerrut 5:45
6 - Lost 4:46


Credits:
    Alto Saxophone – Jackie McLean
    Bass – Butch Warren
    Design [Cover] – Reid Miles
    Design [Rvg Series] – Michael Boland (2)
    Drums – Billy Higgins
    Liner Notes – Bob Blumenthal
    Photography By [Cover, Liner] – Francis Wolff
    Piano – Sonny Clark
    Producer – Alfred Lion
    Recorded By, Remastered By – Rudy Van Gelder
    Reissue Producer – Michael Cuscuna
    Trumpet – Tommy Turrentine

Recorded on October 26, 1961 at the Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey.

Label:    Blue Note – BLP 4089
Released:    oct 1962
Genre:    Jazz
Style:    Hard Bop
https://www.discogs.com/master/224468-Jackie-McLean-A-Fickle-Sonance

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