[Left to right] Grachan Moncur III (in front of producer Alfred Lion), Jackie McLean, and Duke Pearson (present, did not play) at Moncur’s Evolution session, Englewood Cliffs NJ, November 21 1963 

(photo by Francis Wolff)

Bob Cranshaw during Grachan Moncur’s Evolution session, Englewood Cliffs NJ, November 21 1963

Grachan Moncur III during his Evolution session, Englewood Cliffs NJ, November 21 1963

[monogrammed trombones ftw]

Bobby Hutcherson during Grachan Moncur’s Evolution session, Englewood Cliffs NJ, November 21 1963

Grachan Moncur III at Jackie McLean’s Hipnosis session, Englewood Cliffs NJ, February 3 1967

defendtheghetto:

jackie mclean, grachan moncur III, & lee morgan @ rudy van gelder studio. Photo by Francis Wolff.

From Moncur’s Evolution session, November 21, 1963

Grachan Moncur III (photo by Francis Wolff)

Jackie McLean - Kahlil the Prophet (1962)

Happy birthday Jackie.

Jackie McLean - Blue Rondo (1963)

Jackie McLean discovered Tony Williams gigging in Boston at age 16. From there, it was straight into the stratosphere for the young drummer. “So Jackie was the reason for me to really get to where I am,” Tony Williams said. “He was the link.”

One Step Beyond is the first piano-less experiment for McLean, and a significant milestone. It was also Williams’ first recording, and he has the same impact here that he would recreate months later as a newly minted member of Miles Davis’ second great quintet. Later in 1963, he would play on Grachan Moncur’s Evolution, a quintessential “new thing” LP again featuring McLean, Moncur, Williams and Hutcherson. Listened to together, these cuts represent the wings of Tony Williams’ genius taking flight.

Herbie Hancock - And What If I Don’t Know (1963)

Herbie Hancock:

“I’ve had the great fortune to be a jazz musician. It means I can play music freely, that I can explore territory, try new things and expand in various ways, because jazz is not restrictive.”