Prior to 1959, Jackie McLean was an important young Turk whose sharp tone and intense style on alto grew out of Charlie Parker yet were very much his own. Growing up in New York, his neighbors included such friends as Bud Powell, Thelonious Monk and Sonny Rollins. By 1951 he was recording with Miles Davis and other associations in the 1950s included Charles Mingus and two years with Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers. But all of that was a prelude to his recording 21 brilliant, explorative and frequently explosive albums for Blue Note from 1959-67.

1960’s Capuchin Swing, his second for the Blue Note Label, is pure exceptional hard bop from an exceptional line-up of McLean (alto saxophone), Blue Mitchell trumpet), Walter Bishop, Jr. (piano), Paul Chambers (bass) and Art Taylor (drums). The dynamic 6-track effort features all of the wonderful elements of any classic Blue Note album: memorable compositions, strong solos and, of course, great feeling. But Capuchin Swing also finds the great alto saxophonist looking toward new frontiers as well with cuts like the harmonically edgy “Francisco.”