Jackie McLean - 4, 5 and 6

Title: 4, 5 and 6 Artist: Jackie McLean Release Date: 7/1956 Re-Released On: 3/25/2008 Label: JVC Victor, Prestige Records, Fantasy/OJC, Fantasy, Ojc, Universal Distribution, Prestige/OJC Duration: 45:05 Album Type(s): Instrumental UPCs: 025218482424, 025218605625, 4988002333370, 4988002506064, 4988005506429, 0090204062850, 0090204991884, 025218005616, 025218005647, 025218605618, 090204062850, 090204991884, 4988002380862 Genre: Jazz Styles: Bop, Hard Bop, Jazz Instrument, Saxophone Jazz Moods: Complex, Earthy, Energetic, Fiery, Freewheeling, Intense, Passionate, Sophisticated, Uncompromising, Ambitious, Boisterous, Confident, Dramatic, Earnest, Exuberant, Literate, Lively, Playful, Provocative, Rambunctious, Rebellious, Rousing, Searching, Sprawling, Stately, Street-Smart, Swaggering, Visceral, Witty, Wry Total Copies: 0 Members Wishing: 0 Number of Discs/SwapaCD Credits: 1

1. Sentimental Journey
2. Why Was I Born?
3. Contour
4. Confirmation
5. When I Fall in Love
6. Abstraction

Year Type Label Catalog # 2008 CD Universal Distribution 9185 2006 CD JVC Victor 41546 2003 CD Prestige Records 2069 2002 CD JVC Victor 60276 2001 CD Ojc 200562 2001 CD Prestige Records 7048 2001 CD Fantasy/OJC 200562 1995 CD Fantasy 0562 1995 CD Fantasy/OJC 0562 1991 CD Prestige/OJC OJCCD-056-2

4, 5 and 6 [RVG Remaster] 4, 5 and 6 [Japan]

In 1956 Jackie McLean was only beginning to assert himself as a true individualist on the alto saxophone, exploring the lime-flavored microtones of his instrument that purists or the misinformed perceived as being off-key or out of tune. 4, 5 and 6 presents McLean's quartet on half the date, and tunes with an expanded quintet, and one sextet track -- thus the title. Mal Waldron, himself an unconventional pianist willing to explore different sizings and shadings of progressive jazz, is a wonderful complement for McLean's notions, with bassist Doug Watkins and drummer Art Taylor the impervious team everyone wanted for his rhythm section at the time. The quartet versions of "Sentimental Journey," "Why Was I Born?," and "When I Fall in Love" range from totally bluesy, to hard bop ribald, to pensive and hopeful, respectively. These are three great examples of McLean attempting to make the tunes his own, adding a flattened, self-effaced, almost grainy-faced texture to the music without concern for the perfectness of the melody. Donald Byrd joins the fray on his easygoing bopper "Contour," where complex is made simple and enjoyable, while Hank Mobley puts his tenor sax to the test on the lone and lengthy sextet track, a rousing version of Charlie Parker's risk-laden "Confirmation." It's Waldron's haunting ballad "Abstraction," with Byrd and McLean's quick replies, faint and dour, that somewhat illuminates the darker side. As a stand-alone recording, 4, 5 and 6 does not break barriers, but does foreshadow the future of McLean as an innovative musician in an all-too-purist mainstream jazz world. ~ Michael G. Nastos, All Music Guide

Name Credits Art Taylor Drums, ? Bob Weinstock Supervisor, Design, Cover Design Cheryl Pawelski Project Assistant Chris Clough Project Assistant Donald Byrd Trumpet, ? Doug Watkins ?, Bass Hank Mobley ?, Sax (Tenor) Ira Gitler Original Liner Notes, Liner Notes Jackie MacLean Sax (Alto) Jackie McLean Sax (Alto) Mal Waldron Piano, ? Nick Phillips Reissue Producer Phil DeLancie Digital Remastering Rikka Arnold Project Assistant Rudy Van Gelder Engineer, Remastering, Liner Notes Stuart Kremsky Reissue Production Assistance Tom Hannan Design, Cover Design Zev Feldman Project Assistant