1957 · Album
Jackie McLean & Co.
Recorded 1962 and 1963 · Blue Note · Initial Release: 1980
A Delayed Reckoning with Jackie McLean's Vertigo
McLean withheld this date because it didn't fit the winning Blue Note formula—hard bop and blues, nothing more.
Vertigo arrived in 1980 as a curiosity: a Blue Note release from sessions nearly two decades old, finally deemed releasable. The album landed quietly, without the momentum of a contemporary release. Critics didn't rush to reassess McLean's catalog based on these recordings. Instead, the record built a modest reputation over time, becoming one for serious collectors and McLean scholars rather than a gateway album. AllMusic reviewer Scott Yanow noted the music ranged from catchy funk and hard bop to hints of the avant-garde, while JazzTimes critic Bill Shoemaker explained the delay itself: McLean didn't stray far from the winning Blue Note formula, and given the groundswell from his more experimental records like One Step Beyond and Destination... Out!, the label had simply withheld this straighter hard bop session.
What's worth hearing here is exactly that restraint. These 1962 and 1963 sessions sit between McLean's earlier straight-ahead work and his later ventures into free playing. He's not breaking new ground—Shoemaker was right about that—but he's also not coasting. The funk and blues elements keep things grounded and swinging, the arrangements smart without overreaching. This is a solid mid-period McLean record, competent and engaging without demanding anything from the listener. It's the kind of album that works best if you're already interested in hard bop, already know McLean from his peak Blue Note years. Start with Jackie's Bag (1960) or A Fickle Sonance (1961) if you're new to him. But if you've spent time with those and want to hear more of what made him reliable and inventive within the tradition, Vertigo rewards the dig.
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