Another "difficult to find" Blue Note goodie!
Dr.D.Treharne | Exeter, Devon, United Kingdom | 12/30/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Subtitled "meets Junko Onishi" this is very much a joint effort between McLean and the Japanese pianist.It assembles a wide range of material with McLean contributing two tracks and Onishi one (a nod to the album title "Jackie's Hat).The opening track "Little Melonae" is a thoroughly energetic work out with Mclean blowing free and hard, and letting Nat Reves on Bass and Lewis Nash on drums have their solo alongside Onishi. Overall the start lays the foundation for the rest of the album with the up-tempo numbers working more cohesively than the slower tracks.Favourites are the version of Milt Jackson's " Bag's Groove", Onishi's Jackie's Hat" and McClean's "Bluesnik". That said the variations in the tempo and attack on their version of
"Sentimental Journey" makes that work well. Perhaps their least effective re-working is the version of "Cottage for sale".As McLean albums go this is a good one, and once again it's mystifying why it's so regularly unavailable.Only Blue Notes executives could possibly explain their re-issue policy. This is well worth seeking out, as are some other outings by Junko Onishi."