It’s Time!
1965
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Jackie McLean's album, "It's Time!", recorded in 1964 and released in late June/early July 1965 on Blue Note Records, showcases a blend of post-bop and free jazz. The album features McLean in a quintet with trumpeter Charles Tolliver, pianist Herbie Hancock, bassist Cecil McBee, and drummer Roy Haynes. The recording session took place on August 5, 1964, at Rudy Van Gelder Studio in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. McLean's return to hard bop, incorporating insights from his further-out explorations, is highlighted by the engaging conversation between Hancock and the front line, resulting in an energizing sonic experience.
The album consists of original compositions by Jackie McLean and Charles Tolliver. It has been reissued multiple times, including as part of the Blue Note 85th Anniversary Reissue Series as a limited-edition Japan-only UHQCD. The album cover, designed by Reid Miles, is considered a design classic. While some critics expected McLean to fully embrace free jazz, they welcomed the hard bop familiarity of "It's Time!".
Recording Info
Recorded August 5, 1964, at Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ; Rudy Van Gelder (engineer), Alfred Lion (producer)
Track Highlights
- Cancellation (Charles Tolliver) — A driving piece of advanced hard bop
- Das' Dat — An archetypal slice of hard bop emphasizing the music's blues roots
- It's Time — Reflects the influence of modal jazz
Personnel
- Jackie McLean (Alto Saxophone)
- Charles Tolliver (Trumpet)
- Herbie Hancock (Piano)
- Cecil McBee (Bass)
- Roy Haynes (Drums)
- Alfred Lion (Producer)
- Rudy Van Gelder (Engineer)
- Reid Miles (Cover Design)
- Francis Wolff (Photography)
- Nat Hentoff (Liner Notes)
Significance
The album is considered a bold and rhythmic statement from Jackie McLean, blending post-bop intensity with avant-garde textures. It showcases McLean's ability to harmonize post-bop and free jazz, with a blues spirit felt in every piece. While it didn't attract as much attention as some of McLean's other records, it offers a vivid snapshot of McLean during a transitional period in his career. AllMusic gave the album 3½ stars. The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings also gave the album 3½ stars.
Trumpeter Charles Tolliver made his Blue Note debut on "It's Time!"
Track List
Apple Music
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