Demon's Dance (Blue Note Tone Poet Series) (Vinyl)
Up until this record, the virtuoso altoist Jackie McLean was unknown to me. Desmond, Hodges, Shank, yes, But McLean, no. Turns out, I was really missing something.
Since this 1970 Blue Note Tone Poet reissue was on its way, I did lots of research. At first, the examples I found were of a virtuoso who could swing but at times could gild the lily, pushing his sound to the edge and sometimes over it. Not so on Demon’s Dance. Here, McLean is full on as they say, but with no squeaking as the reed finally gives up the airflow ghost. Just pure virtuosic and ingenious improvisation.
Demon's Dance was recorded in 1967 for Blue Note, but not released until 1970. It features McLean leading, with trumpeter Woody Shaw, pianist LaMont Johnson, bassist Scotty Holt and drummer Jack DeJohnette.
The tracks are:
“Demon's Dance" (McLean)
"Toyland" (Cal Massey)
"Boo Ann's Grand" (Woody Shaw)
"Sweet Love of Mine" (Shaw)
“Floogeh" (McLean)
"Message From Trane" (Massey)
Production
Francis Wolff – producer
Rudy Van Gelder – engineer (recording)
Bob Venosa – design
Mati Klarwein – artwork
Leonard Feather – liner notes
The vinyl was delivered in a solid mailer with no damaged corners and, typical of the Tone Poet series, is flat and silent. The Stoughton tip-on jacket is absolutely gorgeous, with glossy session photos, etc.
I’m not a fan of free jazz; even avant-garde can sometimes get on my nerves. But if there are beautiful tones, inventive playing, imaginative solos and hard-driving, swinging rhythms, I’m in. And that’s what we have here on Demon’s Dance. There are guardrails on McLean’s playing, so nothing indicative of the freestyle I’ve heard on other albums. He also reins in his tone; not that it dilutes it in any way, he just has more control at the outer edges. Other times, I hear him almost in the “squeakissimmo” range. Not pleasant to my ears.
The album starts with a structured bop bang! The title track drives hard to the finish line with great solos by McLean and Shaw (who I include in the same playing style as McLean—at times too aggressive, but here superb).
In the ballad “Toyland’, McLean’s tone reminds me of the great English altoist Pete King (of Maynard Ferguson MFHorn fame). When this controlled, there’s an underlying intensity to McLean’s playing, even in ballads.
On Woody Shaw’s chart, “Boo Ann's Grand", we get a little more laid-back Latin with both leads intertwining on the head languidly, almost sexy. Both McLean and Shaw were inspired soloists on the album.
And later on, in McLean’s “Floogeh”, the fabulously tight syncopations during the head as McLean and Shaw swing hard are mesmerizing. This is my favourite track on the album. Virtuoso writing and playing.
Is that a seam split I see before my eyes? Great shots of McLean and Shaw on the gatefold's inner cover.
Behind all this lead brilliance is an equally wonderful engine. Pianist LaMont Johnson, bassist Scotty Holt and drummer Jack DeJohnette are exceptional, with DeJohnette’s invention and perfect accompaniment highlights. A couple of bass solos show off Holt’s great sound and improvisational skills, then on his solo in “Floogeh”, he ends it with DeJohnette joining in and closing it off before the reprise in brilliant fashion.
The remastered/recut sound is excellent with stellar work from Kevin Gray. It’s not the warmest sound from a Tone Poet I’ve heard or even the most detailed, but Van Gelder captures the intense feeling behind these charts. I’ve never heard an OG. As usual from Englewood Cliffs, alto left, trumpet right (with a nice centre spread), with rear/middle fill of piano, bass and drums. Unisons sound incredibly tight and exciting.
It’s not quite in the exalted league of the Dexter Gordon One Flight Up Tone Poet release which is my favourite so far, but Demon’s Dance is a keeper.
Everyone notices the striking cover by Mati Klarwein, which is colourful and hideous at the same time.
The juxtaposition of lives lived could not have been starker between long-tenured university professor McLean (Hartt School of Music) and the tragic end to Woody Shaw’s short life. But here they play together like angels. A fantastic release. And most definitely Audiophilia Dream List © material.
This stereo 33RPM single disc 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.
