Dollie McLean, Jackie McLean, and the Artists Collective

Thanks to my friend Janis Lane-Ewart, who arranged an introduction, I met and spent time with Dollie McLean, widow of jazz legend Jackie McLean, when I was in CT last week. I wasn't planning to write about her and the nonprofit Artists Collective she and Jackie co-founded but left our meeting wanting to tell an inspiring story and let people know about a worthy organization. Writing about someone without his or prior knowledge can be like bursting into a house, gun drawn, without shouting "Police!" I took a chance and hoped for the best. Dollie was surprised but in a good way. And I think the article turned out well.

Photo of Dollie McLean and Jackie McLean from the 2004 IAJE conference in New York City. Jackie passed away in 2006.