One Step Beyond＜限定盤＞

オーネット・コールマンに触発され、アルトサックス奏者ジャッキー・マクリーンは独自の方法で前衛の領域へ踏み込んだが、魂のこもったスウィング感と構造感覚を決して捨て去ることはなかったジャッキー・マクリーンの1963年作品。
グラチャン・モンカー3世、ボビー・ハッチャーソン、エディ・カーン、トニー・ウィリアムズを擁するユニークなクインテットと共に、内側から外側へという独特のサウンドを確立した。
シングル・ジャケット仕様

〈パーソネル〉
Jackie McLean (as)
Grachan Moncur III (tb)
Bobby Hutcherson (vibes)
Eddie Kahn (b)
Tony Williams (ds)

In 1963, alto saxophonist Jackie McLean was well aware of John Coltrane and Ornette Coleman. He assembled a band with vibist Bobby Hutcherson, who had already played with Eric Dolphy, drummer Tony Williams, bassist Eddie Khan, and trombonist/composer Grachan Moncur III. While still adhering to the hard bop principle, One Step Beyond's title is literal. The introduction of space as an element in the twin-horn front line is consistent with what would come later that year on Destination Out! McLean is clearly hearing the Eastern modalism and intervallic invention in Coltrane's sound at this point, but still moves in his own direction, sticking very close to the blues and the hard, even relentless, swing provided by Williams on the kit. The true visionary compositions here are Moncur's "Frankenstein" and "Ghost Town." Their unconventional solo-horn melodic statements are followed by two horn choruses that use Hutcherson's vibes as a contrapuntal element as he spreads his chords so wide that he comes off like a pair of pianos playing complementary harmonic strategies, and it's revolutionary. Add to this Moncur's insistence on soloing inside the changes as McLean moves through the register and becomes increasingly dissonant, and you have a true doppelganger effect -- but one that swings like mad. One Step Beyond may have been the first volley McLean fired in the direction of the new jazz, and played it safe enough to ride out the hard bop he helped to create, but he cannot be faulted as a bandleader, as this music still sounds fresh, vital, and full of grainy mystery. ~ Thom Jurek