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
A Foggy Day
Jackie McLean Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Out of town were the people I knew
I had that feeling of self-pity
What to do, what to do, what to do
The outlook was decidedly blue
But as I walked through the foggy streets alone
It turned out to be the luckiest day I've known
A foggy day, in London town
Had me low, had me down
I viewed the morning, with much alarm
British Museum, had lost its charm
How long I wondered,
Could this thing last
But the age of miracles, hadn't past
For suddenly, I saw you there
And through foggy London town,
The sun was shining everywhere
For suddenly, I saw you there
And through foggy London town,
The sun was shining everywhere
Everywhere
Everywhere
Everywhere
The lyrics to Jackie McLean's song "A Foggy Day" describe the experience of a stranger in a new city, feeling lonely and lost. The singer expresses a sense of self-pity, unsure of what to do in this unfamiliar place. The outlook is described as "decidedly blue," emphasizing the melancholy and gloominess of the situation.
However, as the singer walks through the foggy streets alone, the day takes an unexpected turn. It becomes the luckiest day they have ever known. The foggy day, which initially had them feeling low and down, suddenly transforms. The sun begins to shine through the mist, bringing warmth and brightness to the entire city.
The mention of London town and the British Museum adds a specific setting to the lyrics. The singer looks at the morning with alarm, suggesting that even a renowned place like the British Museum has lost its charm for them. This further emphasizes their state of unhappiness and dissatisfaction.
Overall, the lyrics convey the idea that even in the darkest and most challenging times, there is always hope. The foggy day symbolizes the difficulties and obstacles in life, but it also serves as a metaphor for the unexpected twists of fate that can bring joy and light when least expected.
Line by Line Meaning
I was a stranger in the city
I felt like an outsider in a new place
Out of town were the people I knew
I didn't have any familiar faces around me
I had that feeling of self-pity
I was feeling sorry for myself
What to do, what to do, what to do
I was unsure of what actions to take
The outlook was decidedly blue
I had a pessimistic view of the situation
But as I walked through the foggy streets alone
While I was strolling through the misty roads by myself
It turned out to be the luckiest day I've known
It ended up being the most fortunate day I've ever experienced
A foggy day, in London town
A misty day in the city of London
Had me low, had me down
It made me feel depressed and downcast
I viewed the morning, with much alarm
I looked at the morning with great fear and worry
British Museum, had lost its charm
The British Museum no longer held its appeal to me
How long I wondered, Could this thing last
I pondered how much longer this situation would continue
But the age of miracles, hadn't past
However, the era of miracles hadn't ended
For suddenly, I saw you there
Because all of a sudden, I caught a glimpse of you
And through foggy London town, The sun was shining everywhere
Even in the misty city of London, happiness and joy permeated everywhere
Everywhere
In all places
Everywhere
In all places
Everywhere
In all places
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind