One of
Jackie McLean's more underrated albums from a plethora of
Blue Note releases, 1960's
Capuchin Swing finds the
bebop alto saxophonist in fine form on a mix of covers and originals. While his future fascination with
Ornette Coleman's free-form innovations can be sensed in some of the solos here, the majority of the album is in a classic
hard bop vein. Like contemporaries
Hank Mobley,
Sonny Clark, and
Lee Morgan, though,
McLean doesn't just churn out pat jam-session fare, but comes up with consistently provocative charts and solos. Eschewing
ballads,
McLean focuses on mid- to fast-tempo
swingers and
blues. Standouts include originals like
"Francisco" and
"Condition Blue" and choice renditions of
"Just for Now" and
"Don't Blame Me." McLean enlists a sparkling lineup of
hard bop stars, including trumpeter
Blue Mitchell, pianist
Walter Bishop, Jr., bassist
Paul Chambers, and drummer
Art Taylor.
Mitchell particularly impresses, matching many of
McLean's own inspired flights with his supple and progressive playing. Along with other fine
Blue Note titles like
Jackie's Bag and
Bluesnik,
Capuchin Swing makes for a great introduction to
McLean's extensive catalog. ~ Stephen Cook
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