Jazz Insights - Media

Gordon talks about legendary trumpet player Woody Shaw. Often referred to as “the last innovator,” Shaw is best remembered for revolutionizing the technical and harmonic vocabulary of the jazz trumpet. The first segment begins by looking at some of Woody’s influences including Lee Morgan, Freddie Hubbard and Booker Little. Also highlighted are some Shaw’s first recordings in his late teens and early twenties with legends like Eric Dolphy and Art Blakey.

Gordon takes a look at alto saxophonist Jackie McLean. McLean grew up in an area of New York surrounded by legendary figures like Bud Powell, Thelonious Monk, Charlie Parker and soon to be legends like Sonny Rollins and Kenny Drew. The first segment takes a look at some of the legends like Charlie Parker, Bud Powell and Dexter Gordon who would have a huge influence on McLean as well as Jackie’s first recordings with Charles Mingus and Miles Davis. In the second segment, Gordon looks at the evolution of McLean’s music as he makes the move from bebop and hard-bop to modal jazz in the early-1960s. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------