In the continuing five-album series from Blue Note, sax legend Jackie McClean (1931-2006) is in the company of Jack DeJohnette, Lee Morgan, Kenny Drew, Woody Shaw, Herbie Lewis, Billy Higgins and others, blowing mostly happy-go-lucky indeed in lithe synchronicity.
Listen to Bluesnik, the first title of that eponymous album, recorded in the depths of winter in New Jersey on one day, January 8, 1961. The weather might have been miserably dank at least, or at worst Siberian in icy gridlock. Maybe the day was Stygian dark, baleful clouds as the early afternoon rolled in.
Yet, no more of that, the tune is hot and the band is smokin’ as McLean spars and fences delightfully with trumpeter Freddie Hubbard. Come to think of it, it might have been one of those crisp winter days with a blue sky and chilly sun, because the sun got in somewhere, as the jazz genius pirouettes throughout in high spirits. All of 9 minutes 28 seconds of effervescent jazz, like musical spin-drift on the New Jersey shore.
Also included are the brilliant albums Capuchin Swing (1960), Let Freedom Ring (1962), Jackknife (1965) and Demon’s Dance (1967). These four were each recorded amazingly in the space of one day also, they didn’t mess with time back then. Or maybe days were longer and candles preternaturally burned both ends. Them were the days.
But how did they do it? Was the art in the mixing and the post-production? Hardly, there is no masking high-calibre jazz. No gainsaying it, these guys must have come in match-fit from countless live sessions and then just let it rip and let it roll, with little rehearsal of any kind, bar the warm-up. The engineers must have intuited the work perfectly, with no explaining. All very Zen, mebbe. Like I say, happy-go-lucky - go lively up yourself with the tunes of Master McLean.
