Roberto Magris Quintet: Morgan Rewind: A Tribute to Lee Morgan, Vol. 1 (2011)

Jack Bowers

Senior Contributor since 1997

A former newspaper writer / editor who has been writing about big-band Jazz for more than fifteen years.

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Published: May 11, 2011

Roberto Magris Quintet: Morgan Rewind: A Tribute to Lee Morgan, Vol. 1

For one who left us far too soon (he was shot to death at age 33), Edward Lee Morgan Lee Morgan
1938 - 1972
trumpet left quite an extensive legacy as a trumpeter, composer and recording artist. In paying tribute to Morgan, pianist Roberto Magris Roberto Magris
b.1959
piano has a splendid idea. What he does not have, of course, is Lee Morgan or any of the celebrated saxophonists who played alongside him (Hank Mobley Hank Mobley
1930 - 1986
sax, tenor , Benny Golson Benny Golson
b.1929
sax, tenor , Pepper Adams Pepper Adams
1930 - 1986
sax, baritone , Clifford Jordan Clifford Jordan
1931 - 1993
saxophone , Wayne Shorter Wayne Shorter
b.1933
saxophone , Jackie McLean Jackie McLean
1932 - 2006
sax, alto , Joe Henderson Joe Henderson
1937 - 2001
sax, tenor , to name only some).

Another Lee, the young trumpeter Brandon Lee Brandon Lee
b.1983
trumpet , gives it his best shot sitting in for Morgan, while alto saxophonist Logan Richardson Logan Richardson
is somewhat less persuasive depping for the various reed men with whom Morgan played and recorded. To complete the rhythm section, Magris has recruited a talented young bassist, Elisa Pruett Elisa Pruett
, and the veteran drummer Albert Heath Albert Heath
b.1935
drums who grew up alongside Morgan in Philadelphia (Tootie was three or four years older).

Six of the album's nine musical tracks (a tenth consists of a twelve-minute interview with Heath by producer Paul Collins) were written by Morgan. Magris contributed "Lee-Too" and "Lee Morganized," while saxophonist Billy Harper Billy Harper
b.1943
saxophone penned the virile opener, "Croquet Ballet." Morgan was a first-rate composer whose best-known work is the lovely "Ceora." That's here, accompanied by such other winners as "Party Time," "Desert Moonlight," "Hocus Pocus," "Eclipso" and "Mr. Kenyatta." Heath, sturdy throughout, is especially effective on the Caribbean-flavored "Eclipso" and Afro-style "Kenyatta."

Magris, a versatile pianist, seems right at home in the bop format and is at ease whether comping or soloing, which he does tastefully, while Lee frames a number of solos that easily could have met with Morgan's approval. Richardson, on the other hand, is more remindful of Eric Dolphy Eric Dolphy
1928 - 1964
reeds than the plain-spoken boppers who were most often at Morgan's side. That can be taken as a plus or a minus, depending on the listener's fondness for and devotion to the kind of blue-collar bop that epitomized the Blue Note / Prestige sessions of the late '50s and '60s that earned Morgan and others prominence and stardom.

Even though Magris has to make do for the most part with younger musicians whose awareness of that era rests largely on recorded evidence, everyone does his (and her) best to recreate and salute the time in which Morgan lived and flourished. Unrepentant boppers should find the sentiments and the music to their liking.

Track Listing: Croquet Ballet; Party Time; Desert Moonlight; Lee-Too; Ceora; Hocus Pocus; Eclipso; Mr. Kenyatta; Lee Morganized; Audio Liner Notes (interview with Tootie Heath).

Personnel: Roberto Magris: piano; Brandon Lee: trumpet; Logan Richardson: alto sax; Elisa Pruett: bass; Albert "Tootie" Heath: drums.

Record Label: JMOOD* RECORDS
Style: Straight-ahead/Mainstream