Tonight's Jazz Feature is an important album recorded in one of the golden years of Jazz: 1959 but rarely mentioned. This album marked the first issued album under a new Blue Note contract by alto saxophone giant, Jackie McLean. Jackie was starting a new phase in career and this album marks the first step and it's a big step. Jackie emerges here from his early influences namely Charlie Parker and Sonny Rollins. Jackie also has one of the most distinctive sounds that's sometimes raw and harsh but always soulful and full of feeling. On this fine album McLean is featured with a frequent partner, trumpeter Donald Byrd. On piano is the fine Walter Davis Jr. who also composed four of the six tunes on the date. Paul Chambers is on bass and the drums are played by the innovative Pete LaRoca (aka Peter Sims).. All in all "New Soil" deserves recognition as another of the seminal recordings of 1959. Enjoy!

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