Gordon takes a look at alto saxophonist Jackie McLean. McLean grew up in an area of New York surrounded by legendary figures like Bud Powell, Thelonious Monk, Charlie Parker and soon to be legends like Sonny Rollins and Kenny Drew. The first segment takes a look at some of the legends like Charlie Parker, Bud Powell and Dexter Gordon who would have a huge influence on McLean as well as Jackie’s first recordings with Charles Mingus and Miles Davis. In the second segment, Gordon looks at the evolution of McLean’s music as he makes the move from bebop and hard-bop to modal jazz in the early-1960s. By the third segment set in the mid-1960s, after returning from an extended trip to Paris, Jackie was fully engulfed in free and modal jazz. In order to help him pull of this emerging style of jazz, Jackie enlisted the help of some younger players like Herbie Hancock, Tony Williams and Jack Dejohnette.

Jazz Insights - Jackie McLean - Part 1
Jazz Insights - Jackie McLean - Part 2
Jazz Insights - Jackie McLean - Part 3