This recording, whose music has been reissued as part of a Mosaic Jackie McLean box set, has several selections that are quite fascinating. McLean (along with trumpeter Charles Tolliver, vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson, bassist Cecil McBee, and drummer Billy Higgins) plays free hard bop on "Action" (which does not have a specific set of chord changes to follow), a pair of Tolliver compositions ("Plight" being the most well known) and even the standard "I Hear a Rhapsody" (McLean's feature). Only the bluesy "Hootnan" is a bit more conventional, although the solos are far from predictable. This album is full of exciting music that has long been overshadowed. - Scott Yanow
Tracks
1. Action (Jackie McLean)
2. Plight (Charles Tolliver)
3. Wrong Handle (Jackie McLean)
4. I Hear a Rhapsody (Jack Baker/George Fragos/Dick Gasparre)
5. Hootnan (Jackie McLean)
JACKIE McLEAN alto saxophone
CHARLES TOLLIVER trumpet
BOBBY HUTCHERSON vibes
CECIL McBEE bass
BILLY HIGGINS drums
Recorded September 16, 1964 at Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey
Blue Note 7243 5 96500 2