Let Freedom Ring (album)

Let Freedom Ring is an album by jazz saxophonist Jackie McLean, recorded in 1962 and released on the Blue Note label.

McLean wrote three of the four compositions. "Melody for Melonae" is dedicated to his daughter (as was an earlier composition, "Little Melonae"), and appeared as "Melanie" on Matador, a later recording that he made with Kenny Dorham. The slower-tempo performance on Let Freedom Ring is notable as being the first time that McLean used "provocative upper-register screams". "Rene" and "Omega" are both blues-related pieces, the former with a standard twelve-bar structure and harmonies, the latter more abstract and modal. The one non-McLean track is Bud Powell's ballad, "I'll Keep Loving You".

Reception
The Allmusic review by Steve Huey awarded the album 5 stars and stated "The success of Let Freedom Ring paved the way for a bumper crop of other modernist innovators to join the Blue Note roster and, artistically, it still stands with One Step Beyond as McLean's greatest work". The Penguin Guide to Jazz gives Let Freedom Ring four out of four stars, and includes the album in a selected "Core Collection".

Track listing

 * 1) "Melody for Melonae" (McLean) - 13:24
 * 2) "I'll Keep Loving You" (Powell) - 6:18
 * 3) "Rene" (McLean) - 10:03
 * 4) "Omega" (McLean) - 8:31

Personnel

 * Jackie McLean &mdash; alto saxophone
 * Walter Davis, Jr. &mdash; piano
 * Herbie Lewis &mdash; bass
 * Billy Higgins &mdash; drums