Uploaded October 2019 | Updated September 2026, 1 hour ago
This lesser known Bebop ballad by is the perfect canvas upon which Al McLean paints a moody portrait. Written by little known guitarist Fred Lacey in 1958, the piece pays homage to saxophonist Ernie Henry (Thelonious Monk, Charles Mingus, Kenny Dorham, Dizzy Gillespie), who died of a heroin overdose on December 29, 1957. The obscure piece found its way onto the Coltrane record, "Soultrane" in early 1958, ensuring its survival.
Al McLean is playing into a rare post-war West German tube microphone, a MWL Maihak BV-30a (Circa 1947), which was the only post-war West German bottle microphone made. Although the mic looks like a classic prewar Neumann bottle mic, its innards are more akin to a Neumann M49, making it a prototype of the iconic Neumann. This example was restored by Leo Schaal of Schaal Audio.
Filmed at Dièse Onze, September 14, 2019
Al McLean - Saxophone
Jim Doxas - Drums
Adrian Vedady - Bass
Kate Wyatt - Piano
Filmed and recorded by Randy Cole
Second camera - Arthur Plis
Post production consultant - Emily Bowmile
More information on Al McLean: almclean.com
More information on Leo Schaal: schaal-audio.com
This lesser known Bebop ballad by is the perfect canvas upon which Al McLean paints a moody portrait. Written by little known guitarist Fred Lacey in 1958, the piece pays homage to saxophonist Ernie Henry (Thelonious Monk, Charles Mingus, Kenny Dorham, Dizzy Gillespie), who died of a heroin overdose on December 29, 1957. The obscure piece found its way onto the Coltrane record, "Soultrane" in early 1958, ensuring its survival.
Al McLean is playing into a rare post-war West German tube microphone, a MWL Maihak BV-30a (Circa 1947), which was the only post-war West German bottle microphone made. Although the mic looks like a classic prewar Neumann bottle mic, its innards are more akin to a Neumann M49, making it a prototype of the iconic Neumann. This example was restored by Leo Schaal of Schaal Audio.
Filmed at Dièse Onze, September 14, 2019
Al McLean - Saxophone
Jim Doxas - Drums
Adrian Vedady - Bass
Kate Wyatt - Piano
Filmed and recorded by Randy Cole
Second camera - Arthur Plis
Post production consultant - Emily Bowmile
More information on Al McLean: almclean.com
More information on Leo Schaal: schaal-audio.com
