Jackie McLean

Demon’s Dance (often mis‑typed in catalogues) captures Jackie McLean with a younger, firebreathing band: Woody Shaw on trumpet, LaMont Johnson at the piano, Scott Holt on bass, and Jack DeJohnette on drums. The tunes are packed with rhythmic snaps and melodic hooks, yet the improvisations regularly veer into more angular, exploratory territory. McLean’s alto tone is piercing and urgent, cutting through the ensemble with authority, while Shaw’s harmonically advanced trumpet lines push the music forward. DeJohnette’s drumming adds a loose, modern energy under the changes. It’s a high‑wire act between inside and outside, tradition and experimentation, and the tension is exactly what gives it its bite.