Jackie McLean In the Big Room

“…consider abstraction as the urge to disregard the features that lie on the surface of things, in hopes of finding the kernel within that does not change and is therefore felt to be the reality.” 

Although he criticizes it as a misnomer when it comes to art and prefers its use to describe the method of science, abstraction as Barzun defines it above is perhaps the best way to think of what Jackie McLean does so masterfully to the blues in this recording, from McLean's "saxophone class" at the Hartt School in 2001: 

My transcription is below. In it I have merely indicated pitches; precise rhythm (Jackie is playing freely and without synchronizing to the pulse of the bass and drums), phrasing, and timbre---the most ephemeral but most significant elements in improvised music---are not included. As always in the case of transcription, Caveat auditor. 

Jackie McLean, In the Big Room. 2001. by danvoss