His father, John Sr., who died in 1939, played guitar in Tiny Bradshaw's orchestra. After his father's death, his musical education was continued by his godfather, by his stepfather, who owned a record store, and by several noted teachers. He also received informal tutoring from neighbours Thelonious Monk, Bud Powell, and Charlie Parker. During high school he played in a band with Kenny Drew, Sonny Rollins, and Andy Kirk, Jr. (the tenor saxophonist son of Andy Kirk).
He recorded with Miles Davis, on Davis' Dig album, when he was 19 years old. Rollins played on the same album. As a young man McLean also recorded with Gene Ammons, Charles Mingus, George Wallington, and as a member of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers (he reportedly joined the Jazz Messengers after being punched by the notoriously violent Mingus and, fearing for his life, brandished a knife and contemplated stabbing him).
McLean was a heroin addict throughout his early career, and the resulting loss of his New York City cabaret license forced him to undertake a large number of recording dates; consequently he produced a large body of recorded work in the 1950s and 60s. He was under contract with Blue Note Records from 1959 to 1967, having previously recorded for Prestige. Blue Note offered better pay and more artistic control than other labels, and his work for Blue Note is highly regarded.
In 1962 he recorded Let Freedom Ring for Blue Note. This album was the culmination of attempts he had made over the years to deal with harmonic problems in jazz, especially in soloing on his piece "Quadrangle." (*"Quadrangle" appears on BST 4051, Jackie's Bag, recorded in 1959). Let Freedom Ring began a period in which he performed with avant-garde musicians rather than the veteran hard bop performers he had been performing with. His recordings from 1962 on, in which he adapted the innovations of modal and free jazz to hard bop, made his body of work distinctive.
In 1964, he served six months in prison on drug charges. The period immediately after his release from prison is known as his acid period because the three albums he released during it were much harsher in tone than his previous albums.
In 1967 his recording contract, like the contracts of many other progressive musicians, was terminated by Blue Note's new management. His opportunities to record promised so little pay that he abandoned recording as a way to earn a living, concentrating instead on touring. In 1968 he began teaching at The Hartt School of the University of Hartford. He later set up the university's African American Music Department (now the Jackie McLean Institute of Jazz) and its Jazz Studies degree program.
In 1970 he and his wife Dollie founded the Artists' Collective, Inc. of Hartford, an organization dedicated to preserving the art and culture of the African diaspora. It provides educational programs and instruction in dance, theatre, music and visual arts.
He received an American Jazz Masters fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts in 2001.
His son René is a jazz saxophonist and flautist as well as a jazz educator.
After a long illness, McLean died on March 31, 2006 in Hartford, Connecticut
'Round About Midnight
Jackie McLean Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
'Round midnight, midnight
I do pretty well, till after sundown
Suppertime I'm feelin' sad
But it really gets bad
'Round midnight
Memories always start 'round midnight
When my heart is still with you
And ol' midnight knows it, too
When a quarrel we had needs mending
Does it mean that our love is ending
Darlin' I need you, lately I find
You're out of my heart
And I'm out of my mind
Let our hearts take wings'
'Round midnight, midnight
Let the angels sing
For your returning
Till our love is safe and sound
And old midnight comes around
Feelin' sad
Really gets bad
Round, Round, Round Midnight
The lyrics to Jackie McLean's song 'Round About Midnight explore the emotional turmoil and longing that comes with the late hours of the night. The song delves into feelings of sadness and heartache, as well as the memories that resurface during this time.
The opening lines, "It begins to tell 'Round midnight," set the stage for the introspective journey that is about to unfold. The singer acknowledges that they usually manage well until after sundown, but when suppertime rolls around, they start feeling sad. However, it is during the midnight hour that things take a turn for the worse, as the emotions become overwhelming.
The second verse further emphasizes the association between midnight and memories. The singer confesses that they lack the strength to confront these memories because their heart still belongs to someone they are separated from. Midnight seems to be aware of their heart's longing, and the singer is left pondering whether a quarrel they had marks the end of their love. They express a deep need for their partner, acknowledging that they are no longer in their heart and that their absence is driving them out of their mind.
In the third verse, the lyrics take a more hopeful turn. The singer suggests that their love can be rekindled and that they long for the return of their partner. They imagine angels singing as a symbol of their reunion. They yearn for the safety and solace of their love being restored, waiting for old midnight to come around and bring relief from their current sadness.
The repetition of the phrase "Feelin' sad, really gets bad, Round, round, round midnight" in the final lines reinforces the emotional intensity and repetition of the late-night struggles. These lyrics encapsulate the cycle of sadness and longing that is heightened during the late hours, emphasizing the profound impact of the midnight hour on the singer's emotional state.
Line by Line Meaning
It begins to tell
The song starts with a story or narrative
'Round midnight, midnight
During the late hours of the night, around midnight
I do pretty well, till after sundown
I manage fairly well until the time after the sun sets
Suppertime I'm feelin' sad
When it's dinnertime, I start to feel down or melancholic
But it really gets bad
However, the sadness intensifies
'Round midnight
During the late hours of the night, around midnight
Memories always start 'round midnight
My memories always begin during the late hours of the night, around midnight
Haven't got the heart to stand those memories
I don't have the emotional strength to endure those memories
When my heart is still with you
When my heart still belongs to you
And ol' midnight knows it, too
And the late hour of midnight is also aware of it
When a quarrel we had needs mending
When we need to resolve a disagreement or argument we had
Does it mean that our love is ending
Does it indicate that our love is coming to an end?
Darlin' I need you, lately I find
My dear, I need you, and lately I have realized
You're out of my heart
You are no longer in my heart
And I'm out of my mind
And I am losing my sanity or mental stability
Let our hearts take wings'
Let our hearts feel free and light
'Round midnight, midnight
During the late hours of the night, around midnight
Let the angels sing
Allow the angels to sing
For your returning
In anticipation of your comeback or return
Till our love is safe and sound
Until our love is secure and in a good state
And old midnight comes around
And when the late hour of midnight arrives again
Feelin' sad
Experiencing sadness
Really gets bad
The sadness truly becomes worse
Round, Round, Round Midnight
During the late hours of the night, around midnight
Lyrics © Downtown Music Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Cootie Williams, Bernard D Hanighen, Theolonious S Monk
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
araci scarpa
Dedinho para cima!
gian paolo Puglisi
Oustanding altoist !
Thanks
jazzka
My pleasure! thank you so much.
Thierry Bottin
Thank you ruka for this excellent combo
I'll share these posts on G+
jazzka
Always a pleasure Allan!!
I appreciate your kindness :))