Tippin' the Scales in Bloomington, MN

Recorded in between his modernist masterpieces
Let Freedom Ring
and
One Step Beyond
,
Tippin' the Scales
finds
Jackie McLean
returning to a safer, more straightforward
hard bop
scenario for a short spell. Since the album wasn't really in keeping with the direction
McLean
was heading (and since that direction proved to be successful), it stayed in the vaults for 22 years before finally seeing the light of day in 1984. As one might expect, given the nearly universal quality of
's
Blue Note
output,
is solid from top to bottom, even if it's not nearly as forward-looking as its predecessor. There's a lot of bluesy
with a few unpredictable twists and turns, and the presence of pianist
Sonny Clark
lends a
cool
tone to the session overall, making for a nice contrast with
's frequently surging passion.
Clark
contributes three of the six pieces, which are in keeping with his laid-back, swinging style, highlighted by the amiable, appropriately titled
"Nicely."
There are also two
originals -- the fairly challenging title track and the more basic
"Rainy Blues"
-- and a rendition of the
standard
"Cabin in the Sky,"
where
's on-the-edge timbre and intonation are put to surprisingly warm use. Though it's one of the more conventional items in
's discography,
offers an opportunity to hear the altoist in an uncommonly relaxed quartet setting, playing (along with anchor
, bassist
Butch Warren
, and drummer
Art Taylor
) at a typically high level of musicianship. ~ Steve Huey