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Lee Morgan
Born:
Lee Morgan was a jazz prodigy, joining the Dizzy Gillespie big band at 18, remaining a member for two years. Beginning in 1956, he began recording as a leader, mainly for the Blue Note label, eventually he recorded twenty-five albums for the company. Morgan's principal influence as a player was Clifford Brown, having had direct contact with him before Brown's premature death.
He was also a featured sideman on several early Hank Mobley records, and John Coltrane's Blue Train. On the latter LP, he even played a bent-up horn like Gillespie's. Joining Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers in 1958 further developed his talent as a soloist and writer. He toured with Blakey for a few years, and was featured on Moanin, which is probably Blakey's best known recording. When Benny Golson left the Jazz Messengers, Morgan persuaded Blakey to hire Wayne Shorter, a young tenor saxophonist, to fill the chair. This classic version of the Jazz Messengers, including Bobby Timmons and Jymie Merritt would record the classic The Freedom Rider album.
Documentary: Lee Morgan: I Called Him Morgan
Lee Morgan is still not fully appreciated for all of the music he left behind and how he changed the sound of the trumpet. The glorious way he bent notes and tore into solos with economy and fervor became a fingerprint of sorts. He first stood out as a purposeful hard-bop player in Art Blakey & ...
Michael Cuscuna: 1948-2024
Michael Cuscuna, a titan in the world of jazz, passed away on April 20, 2024, leaving behind a legacy that will resonate for generations. Michael is survived by his wife Lisa, his children, Max and his wife Jackie, and Lauren, and two grandchildren, Nicolas and Penelope Cuscuna. His passing leaves a void in the hearts of ...
Clint Maedgen: Life Before & With Preservation Hall
by Thomas Cole
My first memories of listening to music as a kid? I was probably listening to Fats Domino and rock 'n' roll on the radio. The power of AM radio at that time in the '70s was a huge foundational influence on me, as it has been for a lot of people in those days. And sittin' ...
Albert "Tootie" Heath: Class Personified
by R.J. DeLuke
This article was first published on All About Jazz on March 9, 2015. Albert Tootie" Heath is among the drummers who lived--and thrived--during what many call the golden age of jazz, the '40s, '50, early '60s. He's enjoyed the fruits of a varied and historic career, but never stayed put. Just kept working. He ...
The Jazz Defenders: Memory In Motion
by Chris May
If there is one quality of first generation NYC hard bop which no twenty-first century band has succeeded in capturing it is the snarling half-valve badness which coursed through Lee Morgan's music. The absence is not surprising, for Morgan's vibe was a real-time product of the demi-monde in which he moved and that world is gone ...
Back In The Groove: Material Matters
by Tarik Townsend
An aspect of jazz that is often overlooked is the material. That is, the very tunes that the musicians are performing. Arguably more important than the key or the tempo, the song itself dictates where the musician's inspiration will go, and even that isn't always a sure thing. They're a launching pad and an indicator of ...
Roswell Rudd, Minnie Riperton, Tomoko Omura and Others
by Jerome Wilson
This vintage show from October 2021 has the usual eclectic mix of artists, including Roswell Rudd, Minnie Riperton, Herbie Hancock, Tomoko Omura, Denis Charles, and much more. Playlist Henry Threadgill Sextett I Can't Wait Till I Get Home" from The Complete Novus & Columbia Recordings of Henry Threadgill & Air (Mosaic) 00:00 John Nyerges ...
Paul R. Harding / Michael Bisio / Juma Sultan: They Tried to Kill Me Yesterday
by Mark Corroto
When we speak of poetry and music, should we ask the chicken and the egg question? As in, which came first? Certainly there was music before spoken word, for imitations of bird calls and other nature sounds will have predated language. So, it's settled, right? Maybe, but not so fast. They Tried to Kill Me Yesterday ...
Two-Trumpet Cacophony
by AAJ Staff
This article was first published at All About Jazz in February 2002. Miles had it figured out: never record with another trumpeter in a small group setting--it just don't work. Or was it his ego? Two, three, and multi-trumpet small group ensembles represent an obscure configuration in modern jazz. This position contrasts sharply ...