"Typically, Mclean says a great deal with a few well chosen notes, taking pains to shape every pitch and sculpt every line"
- Chicago Tribune
John McLean’s career has included work as a guitarist, composer, arranger, producer, bandleader, and educator. Since completing his studies at the Berklee College of Music (B.M.) and the University of Miami (M.M.), he has toured throughout the world and appeared on over 50 recordings. John has performed and /or recorded with such artists as Kurt Elling, Mose Allison, Randy Brecker, Branford Marsalis, Anat Cohen, Jeff “Tain” Watts, Rudresh Mahanthappa, Richie Cole, Ken Nordine, Joe Locke, Regina Carter, Louis Bellson, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Terry Collier, Renee Fleming, John Patitucci, Adam Nussbaum, Ernie Watts, Dave Douglas, Patricia Barber, Kendrick Scott, Arthur Blythe, Eddie Gomez, and many others.
Over the course of his 30 years of touring as both a leader and sideman, John has performed in virtually every major city in North America as well as London, Paris, Moscow, Johannesburg, Tokyo, Beijing, Sydney, Sao Paulo, Jakarta, Dublin, Rome, Madrid, Warsaw, Berlin, Oslo, Reykjavik, Oslo, Stockholm, Istanbul, Bucharest, Helsinki, Seoul, Lisbon, Vienna, Budapest, Brussels, Prague, Copenhagen, Zurich, and many more.
John has conducted clinics throughout the the United States and Canada, as well as Europe and Asia. He currently resides in the Chicago area and teaches at North Central College in Naperville, Illinois.
John McLean Selected Discography
As a Leader or Co-Leader:
“Parts Unknown”, Origin Records
“Better Angels’, Origin Records
“Easy Go”, Premonition Records
“Welcome Everything,” self release
As a Sideman:
“The Gate”, Kurt Elling, Concord Records
“Passion World”, Kurt Elling, Concord Records
“1619 Broadway”, Kurt Elling, Concord Records
“The Beautiful Day”, Kurt Elling, Okeh Records
“Cafe Blue”, Patricia Barber, Premonition Records
“Modern Cool”, Patricia Barber, Premonition Records
“Companion”, Patricia Barber, Premonition Records
“The Premonition Years”, Patricia Barber, Premonition Records
“Don’t Let Me Go”, Grazyna Auguscik, GMA Records
“Past Forward”, Grazyna Auguscik, GMA Records
“River”, Grazyna Auguscik, GMA Records
“Live Sounds Live”, Grazyna Auguscik, GMA Records
The Light”, Grazyna Auguscik, GMA Records
“Lulajze”, Grazyna Auguscik, GMA Records
“Man Behind the Sun”, Grazyna Auguscik ,GMA Records
“This Is a Bird”, Alison Ruble, Origin Records
“Ashland”, Alison Ruble, Origin Records
“Chameleon Eyes”, Jeff Stitely, Brighton Records
“All Things Equal”, Jeff Stitely, Lake Shore Jazz
“Ennead”, Jeff Stitely, self release
“Time Peace”, Terry Collier, Verve Records
“From Every Angle”, Janice Borla, Blu Jazz Records
“Promises to Burn”, Janice Borla, Tall Grass Records
“A Miracle”, Frank Mantooth, Sea Breeze Jazz
“The Insider”, Jim Gaillereto, Wide Sound Records
“American Complex”, Jim Gaillereto, Origin Classical
“Under The Moon”, Barbara Sfraga, A440 Music Group
“Rigamole”, Bryan Doherty, Origin Records
“Brownstone”, Jeff Newell, Blu Jazz Records
“The Powers That Be”, Rex Richardson, Criterion Records
“Salishan”, Bob Dogan, Big Foot Jazz
“Real World”, Ryan Cohan, self released
“Range of Motion”, Jack Mouse, Origin Records
“Analea”,Frank Caruso, self release
“Airplay”, Damon Short, Depth Perception Records
“Fall Night”, Mitch Paliga, Origin Records
“A Different Vibe”, Kathy Kelly, Kanani Music
