Freddie Redd & Jackie McLean: The Music From the Connection.(1960)

The Music from the Connection is a score for a play by Jack Gelber.

Pianist Freddie Redd composed the music and the quartet is comprised of Redd on piano, Jackie McLean on alto saxophone, Michael Mattos on bass, and Larry Ritchie on drums.

The music is basically a very good bop and blues date, McLean's tone on alto has not hardened quite yet, and he still seems to be under the spell of Charlie Parker, "what alto player wasn't in 1959?"

I like The Connection quite a bit, really though, the music is not unlike many sessions on Blue Note in the late 50's and early 60's. Just some very lyrical playing from The pianist Redd and the very tasty McLean playing, sets it above a normal bop date.

Originally the connection was conceived as a play depicting a band of junkie jazz musicians, each musician was to have minor roles in the play as well.

 The music is a pretty dog gone good example how good bop can be when it's done with enough improvisation and surprise.

The Music of The Connection is a must have for fans of straight ahead bop and hard bop.