4 5 and 6

Description

Before Jackie McLean made some of the great jazz albums of the 1960s for Blue Note, he recorded for the Prestige label. 4, 5 and 6 is the best of all his pre-Blue Note sessions. Recorded over two dates in July 1956, the album features future Blue Note colleague Donald Byrd joining in on trumpet for the albums two originals Abstraction and Contour (penned by Kenny Drew and Mal Waldron respectively). Another Blue Noter, tenor-saxophonist Hank Mobley, even makes it a sextet on Charlie Parkers Confirmation. The remaining three selections are quartet pieces (hence the albums title) with Mal Waldron on piano, Doug Watkins on bass and Art Taylor on drums. Newly reissued on vinyl, this is a MUST HAVE addition to all great jazz collections. This album is one in a series of special 2014 releases commemorating the 65th anniversary of Prestige Records and the 90th birthday of legendary recording engineer Rudy Van Gelder. Significant press attention will be given to these two milestones throughout the year, including much discussion about the 2014 Prestige catalogue of reissues.