Peter Posted May 24, 2004 Report Share Posted May 24, 2004 I've always wondered . . . is Jackie McLean black or white? What's his ethnicity? Of course it is irrelevant to the great music he's given us, but this is America and race matters. Many fans are interested in non-music facts relating to their favorite musicians. Put me in the category. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soulstation1 Posted May 24, 2004 Report Share Posted May 24, 2004 http://search.eb.com/blackhistory/micro/726/64.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aggie87 Posted May 24, 2004 Report Share Posted May 24, 2004 ...this is America and race matters. On the ground under my feet, which is also America, race DOESN'T matter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrome Posted May 24, 2004 Report Share Posted May 24, 2004 Kind of a tangent, but I can remember logging on to the Blue Note site once and seeing something about Jackie's "racial constitution" ... at first, I thought McLean had written some kind of treatise on race! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wesbed Posted May 24, 2004 Report Share Posted May 24, 2004 What about Kenny Burrell? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soulstation1 Posted May 24, 2004 Report Share Posted May 24, 2004 k.b. is the same as jackie ss1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Claude Posted May 24, 2004 Report Share Posted May 24, 2004 Why is René McLean only 14 years younger than his father Jackie? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rooster_Ties Posted May 24, 2004 Report Share Posted May 24, 2004 I thought the consensus back on the old BNBB was that Jackie was very possibly of mixed racial decent. In fact, I think the consensus was leaning more towards "probably". In any case, ever since I read that discussion on the BNBB (circa 2000 or 2001), I've accepted this as the most probable answer. Does the "way back when machine" have anything about this from 2000 or 2001?? (I've forgotten where the link is, or how to search to search for things (or if searches can even be done).) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Nessa Posted May 24, 2004 Report Share Posted May 24, 2004 I thought the consensus back on the old BNBB was that Jackie was very possibly of mixed racial decent. In fact, I think the consensus was leaning more towards "probably". Damn near everyone in North America is of mixed racial descent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmitry Posted May 24, 2004 Report Share Posted May 24, 2004 Check out Aleksandr Pushkin, Russia's greatest poet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hardbopjazz Posted May 24, 2004 Report Share Posted May 24, 2004 I've always wondered . . . is Jackie McLean black or white? What's his ethnicity? Of course it is irrelevant to the great music he's given us, but this is America and race matters. Many fans are interested in non-music facts relating to their favorite musicians. Put me in the category. Thanks. Well if you need to know, I will be at his show on Tursday. I will ask him. He grew up in the Harlem NY. Which at the time was and still is very much of African American decent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrome Posted May 24, 2004 Report Share Posted May 24, 2004 Well if you need to know, I will be at his show on Tursday. I will ask him. I dare you ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel A Posted May 24, 2004 Report Share Posted May 24, 2004 Why is René McLean only 14 years younger than his father Jackie? I think the aforementioned consensus had it that René is Jackie's adoptive son... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swinging Swede Posted May 24, 2004 Report Share Posted May 24, 2004 I thought the consensus was that he was Ravi Shankar's son. Maybe I got it wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brownie Posted May 24, 2004 Report Share Posted May 24, 2004 Here we go again. Previous discussion: http://www.organissimo.org/forum/index.php...&hl=rene+mclean Do we need to investigate this anew? I tend to go along with Swingin' Swede... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hardbopjazz Posted May 24, 2004 Report Share Posted May 24, 2004 Well if you need to know, I will be at his show on Tursday. I will ask him. I dare you ... After a few drinks I'll have enough nerve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rooster_Ties Posted May 24, 2004 Report Share Posted May 24, 2004 Well if you need to know, I will be at his show on Tursday. I will ask him. I dare you ... After a few drinks I'll have enough nerve. Yeah, but will you have any of your front-teeth left after you ask him?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeweil Posted May 24, 2004 Report Share Posted May 24, 2004 I thought the consensus back on the old BNBB was that Jackie was very possibly of mixed racial decent. In fact, I think the consensus was leaning more towards "probably". Damn near everyone in North America is of mixed racial descent. Same goes for Latin America! Even for Europe, but you don't detect it as easily as they're mostly white here .... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RDK Posted May 24, 2004 Report Share Posted May 24, 2004 Even for Europe, but you don't detect it as easily as they're mostly white here .... I recently met a couple here - Americans of European descent - who referred to themselves as "Euro mutts." That made me laugh, but it's oh so true... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Posted May 24, 2004 Author Report Share Posted May 24, 2004 Do I need to know? No. Would I like to know? Yes. I was pretty amused once when a (young, black) cash register clerk looked at my name on my credit card (Zwiefelhofer) and asked if the name was european. Ask Jackie McLean if you've got the chutzpa. I once asked an irishman if he was protestant or catholic. He was annoyed ("that's pretty personal mate") but answered the question (protestant), and followed up with some very interesting first-hand accounts regarding protestant/catholic relations in Belfast. Jackie McLean might have some insight into race relations, some personal accounts, so ask and tell us what he has to say. Race shouldn't matter, but it does and we're kidding ourselves if we pretend otherwise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazzmoose Posted May 25, 2004 Report Share Posted May 25, 2004 Race shouldn't matter, but it does and we're kidding ourselves if we pretend otherwise. Amen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BruceH Posted May 25, 2004 Report Share Posted May 25, 2004 Wow. For several years I actually thought Jackie McLean was white. Then I read some interview where he referred to being black, I looked at an album photo and thought, "Oh yeah, I guess he is black." I felt like such an idiot. Peter's question makes me feel a lot better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris olivarez Posted May 25, 2004 Report Share Posted May 25, 2004 I agree with what Chuck Nessa said. As far as I'm concerned the only things about Jackie McLean that interest me are (1) Does he play with great skill? (2)Does he play with feeling? (3)Do I like his playing? The general consenus to questions one and two on this board seem to be yes and the answer at this time to question three is inconclusive. While I think Jackie has a great deal of ability I have yet to warm to his playing but I've heard enough to make me keep trying to connect with Jackie. Any other issue regarding Jackie is not relevant to me personally but I guess at this point and time I'm outvoted on this thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soulstation1 Posted May 25, 2004 Report Share Posted May 25, 2004 the only black man in america you could actually ask if he is white and NOT have to worry about getting your ass kicked. you only have to be 1% african/american to be considered a/a in america Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BruceH Posted May 25, 2004 Report Share Posted May 25, 2004 Which begs the question: How would you even KNOW that you're 1% African-American? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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