Jackie McLean
Jackie McLean, born John Lenwood McLean on May 17, 1931, in New York City, was an influential American jazz alto saxophonist, composer, bandleader, and educator. Raised in a musical family, McLean's father played guitar in Tiny Bradshaw's orchestra. After his father's death, McLean's musical education continued under the guidance of his godfather, his record-store-owning stepfather, and through informal tutoring from jazz legends like Thelonious Monk, Bud Powell, and Charlie Parker.
McLean first recorded with Miles Davis at the age of 19 on the album "Dig," which became a jazz standard. He also collaborated with notable musicians such as Charles Mingus, Gene Ammons, and Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers. Known for his distinctive tone and emotional intensity, McLean's style evolved from hard bop to incorporate modal jazz influences, particularly during his most creative period in the early and mid-1960s. His acclaimed albums from this era include "Let Freedom Ring" (1962), "One Step Beyond" (1963), and "Destination Out!" (1963).
Despite struggles with heroin addiction, which affected his early career, McLean produced a significant body of work, particularly with Blue Note Records, where he recorded from 1959 to 1967. In 1970, McLean joined the Hartt School of Music at the University of Hartford, where he helped establish the department of African American music, later renamed the Jackie McLean Institute of Jazz.
McLean continued to influence the jazz world through both his performances and educational efforts until his death on March 31, 2006, in Hartford, Connecticut. He was posthumously inducted into the DownBeat Hall of Fame in 2006 and was named a Jazz Master by the National Endowment for the Arts in 2001.
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