This Jackie McLean album is a truly swinging affair. There's not a ballad in the bunch. As Alfred Lion says in the liner notes, "They came, swung and they split, so we called the album 'Swing, Swang, Swingin'." Touche Al, say no more! Well, how about two more points of information. First, Jackie's quartet for this recording is Walter Bishop on piano, Jimmy Garrison on bass, and Art Taylor on drums. Second, this is a limited edition so don't wait too long to buy it, or "Swing, Swang" will go swinging off.

Very impressive, Jackie demostrates his ability to keep the hard bop tradition while implementing some funk. His tone is unmistakable. A ture student of the BeBop, and Cool Jazz school, Jackie proves that his place on The Jazz Board of directors is valid.

Here we have one of those really relaxed recording sessions with four great guys who just love to play together. Things start off with "What's New", taken here at a surprising medium tempo rather than the usual ballad time. One time, when I heard Jackie McLean in person, he actually played that tune in a similar way, so this CD brings back to me some very beautiful memories. Jackie McLean always keeps his very personal and unique style, whether he is playing more familiar material like on this album,or is taking some "steps beyond". Especially after listening to the more advanced material from his famous albums of the sixties, it's really relaxing to have him play standards like "I Remember You" or "I'd Take Romance", and I particularly like his version on Golson's "Stablemates", which is a very good example of pure McLean on that tune with it's beautiful chord progressions. About the pianist on that date, Walter Bishop, just let me say that he is beautiful. Like on another great McLean-Album, "Capuchin Swing", he gets enough space to really stretch out. He was a Bud Powell disciple without merely copying Bud, very tasteful indeed.