If you ever needed a record to re-remind you of the genius of
Jackie McLean, this Blue Note classic may well be it! At first glance, the session appears to be the usual sort of date – a quintet outing, with help from Donald Byrd on trumpet, Walter
Davis on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Pete LaRoca on drums – yet as with all of McLean's best moments on records, the album explodes with freshly creative energy from the start – getting way past any easy expectation in the way it sets up the groove and delivers the sound!
Jackie's tone is amazing – very modern at times, yet with all the soul of hardbop – and although the rhythms are relatively straight, there's always a slight setting-free at points – that pre-new thing groove that McLean further explored on records like Capuchin Swing or Fickle Sonance. The sound is amazing throughout – and titles are all originals by McLean and
Davis – great gems that include "
Davis Cup", "Sweet Cakes", "Hip Strut", "Minor Apprehension", and "Greasy".
(Great Japanese King pressing, with obi – GXK 8028.)