Jackie McLean’s evocative 1965 album Jacknife captured the alto saxophonist in an envelope-pushing post-bop mode. The session featured two trumpeters—Lee Morgan and Charles Tolliver—who are heard together to great effect on Morgan’s groovy “Soft Blue,” but otherwise take turns in the spotlight. McLean also assembled a deeply engaged rhythm section for the date featuring pianist Larry Willis, bassist Larry Ridley, and drummer Jack DeJohnette. McLean’s fiery sound ignites a wide range of material from the expansive modal explorations of Tolliver’s “On The Nile” to the churning rhythms of DeJohnette’s “Climax” to McLean’s own “Blue Fable,” which delivers a loping melody over shifting feels before settling into a deep pocketed swing for emphatic solos by McLean and Morgan.

Blue Note Tone Poet Series
The Tone Poet Audiophile Vinyl Reissue Series was born out of Blue Note President Don Was’ admiration for the exceptional audiophile Blue Note LP reissues presented by Music Matters. Was brought Joe Harley, a.k.a. the “Tone Poet,” on board to curate and supervise a series of reissues from the Blue Note family of labels.

Extreme attention to detail has been paid to getting these right in every conceivable way, from the jacket graphics and printing quality to superior LP mastering (direct from the master tapes) by Kevin Gray to superb 180g audiophile LP pressings by Record Technology Inc. Every aspect of these Tone Poet releases is done to the highest possible standard. It means that you will never find a superior version. This is IT.

This stereo Tone Poet Vinyl Edition was produced by Joe Harley, mastered by Kevin Gray (Cohearent Audio) from the original analog master tapes, pressed on 180g vinyl at Record Technology Inc. (RTI), and packaged in a deluxe gatefold tip-on jacket.

Tracklist:
A1 On The Nile
A2 Climax
B1 Soft Blue
B2 Jacknife
B3 Blue Fable

• Released: 08/01/2025
• Format: Vinyl
• Genre: Jazz

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