Twenty-seven years later, they met again
Waldron and McLean pick up where they left off, but they're different players now.
In 1959, Mal Waldron recorded Left Alone (1959) with Jackie McLean on the title track—a spare, searching piece that stuck with both of them. By 1986, when they came together again for Left Alone '86 (1986), a lot had changed. Waldron had spent decades working in Europe, playing with everyone from John Coltrane to Art Tatum's shadow. McLean had become a fixture of the hard bop world, leading his own groups, teaching, building something solid and unshowy. This new album isn't a nostalgia trip or a attempt to recapture old magic. It's two older musicians with real experience meeting as equals again.
What you get here is conversation music—no wasted moves, no filler. The piano and saxophone circle each other carefully, neither one dominating. Waldron's touch is lighter than you might expect, almost delicate in places, and McLean's tone has roughened and deepened over time. There's an economy to these performances that comes from knowing exactly what you want to say and how to say it. They're not trying to prove anything to anyone. The rhythm section holds things steady without pushing, letting the front line breathe.
This is a record for people who already know McLean's work—probably not the first place to start if you're new to either artist. Start instead with Moanin' (1958) if you want to hear McLean at his hungriest. But if you've spent time with his music and Waldron's, Left Alone '86 has real rewards. It's quiet in a way that demands attention, and it shows two serious musicians comfortable enough with themselves to play without ego. That counts for something.
Where next?
More by Jackie McLean
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