Saturday July 20th, 2024, 5:00 PM – House of Hard Bop.
Wonderboy Lee Morgan (photo) made his recording debut with Blue Note Records in 1956, when he was 18 years old! – Lee Morgan Indeed! His discography with the top label will amount to more than 25 titles. Two years later, in 1958, he became the frontman of Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers. A meteoric career. That career, by the way not a level one, came to a dramatic end after fifteen years. A gunshot from his ex kills him. Morgan will then be 33.
He is influenced by trumpet virtuosos Dizzy Gillespie and Clifford Brown. With flawless technique, mastery of the high register and a powerful tone, Morgan exudes fire from his instrument. Especially in his younger years, he never allowed himself a moment’s rest in up-tempo solos. Later, under the influence of Miles Davis, he teaches himself to create more ‘space’. Morgan: “You have to learn how to use space. If there hadn’t been Miles, I probably would still be trying to put in as much as I could get into a chorus.”
One day after his debut recording Lee Morgan Indeed! he is asked to replace trumpeter Art Farmer in a studio session (Savoy) by tenorist Hank Mobley. Savoy releases the album under the title Introducing Lee Morgan. Morgan’s photo on the cover, his name in large letters, the name Mobley barely legible. Hank wouldn’t have been happy about that. And neither is Blue Note.
Hank Jones piano – Doug Watkins bass – Art Taylor drums. You will hear all seven pieces.
Hank’s Shout, a composition by Mobley, is the energetic opening. The blues form is also audible in the theme: a-a-b.
Nostalgia (Fats Navarro) slows down a bit. Intro by pianist Hank Jones, with his pleasantly subtle touch. Relaxed solo by Morgan on stopped trumpet. Before resuming the theme, a four-by-four dialogue between tenor and trumpet.
The pace of Nostalgia is maintained in Bet by Doug Watkins. After the unison theme, trumpet, sax, piano and bass each improvise two choruses, after which drummer Taylor also makes himself heard.
The remaining four, somewhat shorter pieces flow into each other without interruption – a medley. Each piece features a different soloist. Everyone has their turn, except the drummer.
4. The standard Softly, as in a Morning Sunrise is a feature for bassist Watkins. The transition to the ballad
5. P.S. I Love You is not going smoothly. There is also that break in the tempo. Morgan solos.
6. The ballad tempo remains in Easy Living. Hank Jones.
7. Hank Mobley closes with That’s All. ——————————————-
Four years later, Lee-Way, also spelled Leeway, appears on Blue Note. (Don’t miss the pun in the title.) Next to Morgan is altoist Jackie McLean. Furthermore, with Bobby Timmons piano, Paul Chambers bass – borrowed from Miles Davis – and Art Blakey drums. A line-up with a high Jazz Messengers quality. Morgan himself, as pianist and drummer, has been part of this top notch hard bop quintet since 1958. With tenorist Benny Golson and bassist Jymie Merritt, the Messengers line-up, with pieces such as Moanin’ and Blues March, will go down in history as ‘legendary’.
These Are Soulful Days is a composition by Cal Massey. (More about this lesser-known trumpeter/composer in the next News item.) The theme contains a nice bit of asymmetry. Bassist Paul Chambers opens the improvisational choruses. Morgan, strikingly, takes the last solo. Art Blakey keeps quiet, but in the closing bars he comes up with his characteristic triplet pep figure.
Midtown Blues by Jackie McLean throws us into the Soul atmosphere. Drummer Blakey opts for a – also characteristic – backbeat that he never lets go.
More from this album in the next broadcast.
House of Hard Bop – Eric Ineke
