Here’s another excellent Jackie McLean album recorded in 1956. This one is different, in the sense that McLean is supporting a young talented trumpet player, Bill Hardman. This is actually Hardman’s debut recording and a few months before joining Art Blakey and the Messengers. Jackie McLean and his talented quintet helped Hardman get recognized. Jazz musicians do not compete, they work together and always help a new talent by featuring them with their band. And because its his debut, Hardman is allowed equal control of the music played. His skipping/tampering trumpet style will catch the attention of all the Jazz Con Class Radio listeners. Not to mention, the heavy duty Hard Bop lovers will appreciate the overall quality of this album and will most likely add it to their collection soon after, what a treat! “Jackie’s Pal” will be featured for a week or so, check the schedule link for play times. Have fun with this one!
About the album:
Jackie’s Pal album for sale by Bill Hardman / Jackie McLean Quintet was released Jun 25, 2013 on the Analogue Productions label. The perennially underrated Bill Hardman (1932-90) was one of the unsung trumpet heroes of the modern era. His raw sound and tense, “running” attack……Read More
Bill Hardman Biography (AllMusic.com):
A reliable hard bop-oriented trumpeter, Bill Hardman never became famous, but he helped out on many sessions. While a teenager, Hardman gigged with Tadd Dameron, and after graduating high school he was with Tiny Bradshaw (1953-1955). He debuted on record with Jackie McLean (1955), played with Charles Mingus (1956), and gained recognition for his work with Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers (1956-1958). Hardman worked with Horace Silver (1958), Lou Donaldson (on and off during 1959-1966), re-joined Blakey twice (1966-1969 and in the late ’70s), was with Mingus again during parts of 1969-1972, and led a group with Junior Cook (1979-1981). Bill Hardman had an appealing style in the Clifford Brown tradition and recorded as a leader for Savoy (1961) and Muse.
