Biography

Born in New York City in 1931, Jackie McLean would eventually become one of the most distinguished and unique alto saxophone players of the 20th Century. He is immediately recognizable for his searing tone, strong roots in the blues, as well as his tendency to play extremely sharp and pointed. McLean gained informal early music mentorship from his neighbors Charlie Parker, and Thelonious Monk. In his high school years, McLean played in a band with another rising star of the time, Sonny Rollins. He would later go on to found the jazz studies department at the University of Hartford.