Altoist
Jackie McLean tended to downgrade his Prestige recordings due to the low pay, the little prior preparation, and the jam session feel of the music. Although all of the above is true, the music (while not on a par with his Blue Note recordings of the '60s) is still pretty worthy, particularly when compared to the output of his contemporaries.
McLean never really copied
Charlie Parker and was one of the first in his generation to develop his own sound. Three of the six selections on this LP (a pair of standards and a blues) feature
McLean with trumpeter
Bill Hardman, pianist
Red Garland, bassist
Paul Chambers, and drummer
Art Taylor. The remainder of the set is from a marathon quartet set with pianist
Mal Waldron, bassist
Arthur Phipps, and drummer
Art Taylor, which would result in material that was used as part of five separate albums.
McLean is in lyrical form on "Our Love Is Here to Stay" and "Old Folks" while playing with great intensity on his accurately titled original "Outburst." ~ Scott Yanow