Customer Reviews

4 5 & 6

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Before Jackie McLean made some of the great jazz albums of the 1960s for Blue Note (see my reviews of several of his titles), he recorded for the Prestige label to often mixed results. However, "4, 5 and 6" is in my opinion the best of all his pre-Blue Note sessions. Recorded over two dates in July 1956, the album features future Blue Note colleague Donald Byrd joining in on trumpet for the album's two originals "Abstraction" and "Contour" (penned by Kenny Drew and Mal Waldron respectively). Another Blue Noter, tenor-saxophonist Hank Mobley, even makes it a sextet on Charlie Parker's "Confirmation." The remaining three selections are quartet pieces (hence the album's title) with Mal Waldron on piano, Doug Watkins on bass and Art Taylor on drums. While not a great album, "4, 5 and 6" does show glimpses of greatness, which would fully come to the surface on the alto-saxophonist's later dates for Blue Note.

Jackie's playing is smooth and refined, sticking with the respected theme of the pieces. he never strays too far out (as he would in later years with questionable results). he reminds me a bit of Sonny Rollins in his tone and his grasp of melody. a fine release with a few classic cuts, such as the beautiful ballad "Abstraction", and the tasteful swing of "Contour" and "Confirmation." McLean's composition and execution show him growing into a confident talent and this album ranks up there with some of Coltrane's fine Prestige recordings.