BFT #129 Discussion Thread

[felser]

WRONG!!! What Serendipity! I just got the notification of your post. I've been on Nate's FB dropping a line about football, literally less than two minutes apart. It's this.

Wow, I'm impressed. To me, he is an unsung monster of the music. I love that whole label/vibe. All influenced by Horace, of chource, but Nate also has his own thing. Any thoughts on why he isn't better known/more widely recorded? Is it because he's never come to NYC, or what? You and Jim have both been amazing on this BFT.

[tkeith]

I have no idea why, but you're absolutely correct. You know, based on his FB posts, I'm not even sure he's still playing. He attended one of the larger festivals this summer, but seemed to do so as a fan, which is astounding to me.

On the upside, about five years ago, I shared a bunch of music with some of my students and one kid really gravitated towards Mirafu. He was an electric guitarist who took a degree in recording technology, but he learned basically that whole album on guitar. I walked in to school one day and heard electric guitar and acoustic arco bass playing Tapscott's The Sleeping Giant Is Awakened. It was surreal. I miss those kids.

Edited December 21, 2014 by Thom Keith

[JSngry]

I don't know that record as well or for as along as a lot of other things, but I do have it!

[Hardbopjazz]

_{I have to say I really enjoyed this BFT. I've been playing in my car and also walking around my house with my Bluetooth headphones listening to this collection of music.}

_{The only track I knew was the first one which Jim guessed to be Bartz. When I saw Gary Bartz year or so ago, I had Bartz sign the CD.}

_{I want to kick myself on #3. I am a huge Hubbard fan and should have guess this one. Heck my avatar is Hubbard.}

Edited December 24, 2014 by Hardbopjazz

[felser]

I have no idea why, but you're absolutely correct. You know, based on his FB posts, I'm not even sure he's still playing. He attended one of the larger festivals this summer, but seemed to do so as a fan, which is astounding to me.

On the upside, about five years ago, I shared a bunch of music with some of my students and one kid really gravitated towards Mirafu. He was an electric guitarist who took a degree in recording technology, but he learned basically that whole album on guitar. I walked in to school one day and heard electric guitar and acoustic arco bass playing Tapscott's The Sleeping Giant Is Awakened. It was surreal. I miss those kids.

Here's the sad answer to some of the Nate Morgan questions.

Jazz legend Nate Morgan dies of heart failure ‘Did what he came to do’ OW Staff Writer | 11/27/2013, midnight

Nate Morgan

3

Longtime Jazz pianist Nate Morgan died recently of heart failure at Gardena memorial hospital in Gardena, Calif. He was 60.

Rene Fisher, spokesperson for the Morgan family, says funeral arrangements are pending.

Before his passing, the famed musician suffered through a series of debilitating illnesses including a stroke that temporarily sidetracked his career in 2008. Morgan’s eclectic artistry behind the ivories put him in elite company among other Los Angeles Jazz musicians and solidified his place as a bona fide master of the genre.

In 2002, a community-wide tribute was held in response to Morgan’s failing health at the then newly opened Jatkodd Cultural Fine Arts Center in the Crenshaw District. Over the years since then, various benefit concerts and gatherings have taken place to honor Morgan’s legacy.

Philomine Morgan, his wife of more than 30 years, says she has fond memories of her husband’s loving spirit and playful attitude.

“These last five years he kept me laughing,” she recalled with a chuckle. “He made sure to say ‘I love you’ every morning and every night. He also sang to me every chance he could get.”

She continued, “Before he died, he told me that he has no regrets, that if he passed he did what he came on this earth to do.”

During his final days, Morgan’s diminished health almost required the removal of his arm, Philomine added.

“I couldn’t let that happen” she said earnestly. “He’s not just a musician, he’s an artist. When the doctor told me he might have to amputate Nate’s arm, I said: ‘if you can’t save his arm, don’t wake him up.”

Morgan spent part of the 1970s playing for Rufus and Chaka Khan and collaborated in the early 1990s with rappers Bone Thugs N’ Harmony. He’s also been touted as one of the best kept secrets of the Los Angeles Jazz scene.

Morgan is survived by his wife and their six children. Darius Nathaniel and Deshonda Johnson, and Nymekye, Jabari, Dors and Yusef Morgan.

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

I listened to this early in the month, and wrote about it then, but failed to post it. So here it is now.

1 Oh, pretty advanced music here. Obviously competent, but not my cup of tea, or within the scope of my knowledge.

2 Well, I don’t suppose it is, but this makes me think of Herbie Mann with Chick Corea. But when he stated talking, it obviously wasn’t Mann. Early seventies Black Revolutionary Ensemble or some such band with much influence from the Last Poets.

OK, if this song is called ‘Complete the circle’, it’s by Ju Ju, from Chapter 2: Nia. You shouldn’t put stuff on with titles mentioned and those by only one band ever. Sorry.

Damn good, though. Glad to hear this.

3 A bit of hard bop by a biggish band with a fleet trumpeter who might as well be Freddie Hubbard. Great for what it is. Band is a bit too brassy for me. Needs more saxes.

4 Oh, it’s groove time in the old homestead! One thing about the hard boppers I always liked – they can put a good groove on when they relax and don’t try so hard. It wouldn’t surprise me if the drummer were Idris Muhammad. But it wouldn’t surprise me if it weren’t, because I think I might be able to ID it if it were. I probably know the horn players, but can’t finger them. Damn good!

5 Is Bennie Maupin the tenor player here? Never really paid much attention to him, though I have a few things with him on them. I don’t think he and the trumpet player have quite enough to them to sustain this for a quarter of an hour, but we’ll see. Five minutes in and no flagging of interest here. Eight – I’m supposed to get tonight’s dinner in from the garage freezer, but I can’t stop this. Well, for a change, I do not think the trumpet player is Freddie Hubbard (so it probably is ) The piano player seems a bit under-recorded – I mean, quiet and overpowered by the drummer. Can’t concentrate on him. Well, back with the chore done and a cuppa made and now we’re on the low-powered bass solo. Same problem, overcome by the drummer. This is either the engineer’s fault or the drummer’s. Perhaps it’s a live recording, in which case everyone does the best they can.

OK, this was good except for the sound, which wasn’t up to scratch for the piano and bass, or the drummer, who was too loud. It’s not often a bit of hard bop chains me to my seat.

6 More of the same, with a lady singer, whose voice I don’t like much. But the tenor player is WAILIN’. Woooooo!!! Yes, Word, I know it’s a spelling mistake. Damn good drummers you’ve picked for this BFT young man! And you can hear the pianist clearly. Backings like this are one good reason to use electric pianos. Hazard a guess at George Coleperson on sax, but without much conviction.

7 Same singer? Sax player sounds as if it MIGHT be Harold Vick, this time. No, Coleperson again. Not Coleperson, much too Hendersonlike for George.

8 Different singer. Good singer. Interesting song. Interesting and often exciting accompaniment. No idea who.

9 Heavy rhythm sections, you’ve chosen. I can see what someone meant about the flow of this programme. I immediately like this trumpet man: dramatic but not silly with it. I doubt if I’ve heard him before. Soprano man’s a bit ordinary, though good. The only soprano saxmen I can identify are Fathead and Sidney, and it’s neither of them. Pianist sounds a bit like Cedar Walton to me.

10 Ah, relaxed, almost balladic version of a tune I can’t identify. “Prince of Peace”. Well, it was always a ballad. The singer sounds foreign – not American, that is. Oh and he can sing!!! Oh, this is something! Live and he’s well liked by the crowd. So he probably IS American, but with a slightly different accent. I feel the pianist is familiar. I like what he’s making of this a lot. The tenor player is right there, welcoming me in. A right little band of masters here. Don’t know who this is, except there’s a version by Tony Esposito.

11 Gawd, another good song by a good singer with an interesting delivery. Never heard this singer before. I get a strong feeling someone’s been listening to Gil Scott-Heron here, but can do it better. A lot better.

Really NICE stuff in this BFT young sir. Mostly very enjoyable. You have my thanks. I await the reveal with great interest.

MG

[tkeith]

I have no idea why, but you're absolutely correct. You know, based on his FB posts, I'm not even sure he's still playing. He attended one of the larger festivals this summer, but seemed to do so as a fan, which is astounding to me.

On the upside, about five years ago, I shared a bunch of music with some of my students and one kid really gravitated towards Mirafu. He was an electric guitarist who took a degree in recording technology, but he learned basically that whole album on guitar. I walked in to school one day and heard electric guitar and acoustic arco bass playing Tapscott's The Sleeping Giant Is Awakened. It was surreal. I miss those kids.

Here's the sad answer to some of the Nate Morgan questions.

Jazz legend Nate Morgan dies of heart failure ‘Did what he came to do’ OW Staff Writer | 11/27/2013, midnight

Nate Morgan

3

Longtime Jazz pianist Nate Morgan died recently of heart failure at Gardena memorial hospital in Gardena, Calif. He was 60.

Rene Fisher, spokesperson for the Morgan family, says funeral arrangements are pending.

Before his passing, the famed musician suffered through a series of debilitating illnesses including a stroke that temporarily sidetracked his career in 2008. Morgan’s eclectic artistry behind the ivories put him in elite company among other Los Angeles Jazz musicians and solidified his place as a bona fide master of the genre.

In 2002, a community-wide tribute was held in response to Morgan’s failing health at the then newly opened Jatkodd Cultural Fine Arts Center in the Crenshaw District. Over the years since then, various benefit concerts and gatherings have taken place to honor Morgan’s legacy.

Philomine Morgan, his wife of more than 30 years, says she has fond memories of her husband’s loving spirit and playful attitude.

“These last five years he kept me laughing,” she recalled with a chuckle. “He made sure to say ‘I love you’ every morning and every night. He also sang to me every chance he could get.”

She continued, “Before he died, he told me that he has no regrets, that if he passed he did what he came on this earth to do.”

During his final days, Morgan’s diminished health almost required the removal of his arm, Philomine added.

“I couldn’t let that happen” she said earnestly. “He’s not just a musician, he’s an artist. When the doctor told me he might have to amputate Nate’s arm, I said: ‘if you can’t save his arm, don’t wake him up.”

Morgan spent part of the 1970s playing for Rufus and Chaka Khan and collaborated in the early 1990s with rappers Bone Thugs N’ Harmony. He’s also been touted as one of the best kept secrets of the Los Angeles Jazz scene.

Morgan is survived by his wife and their six children. Darius Nathaniel and Deshonda Johnson, and Nymekye, Jabari, Dors and Yusef Morgan.

Now I'm fascinated and confused. I need to find out who the 52-year-old Nate Morgan who is friends with all of the LA Jazz people is that I am connected with on FB. Egg on my face.

[felser]

I have no idea why, but you're absolutely correct. You know, based on his FB posts, I'm not even sure he's still playing. He attended one of the larger festivals this summer, but seemed to do so as a fan, which is astounding to me.

On the upside, about five years ago, I shared a bunch of music with some of my students and one kid really gravitated towards Mirafu. He was an electric guitarist who took a degree in recording technology, but he learned basically that whole album on guitar. I walked in to school one day and heard electric guitar and acoustic arco bass playing Tapscott's The Sleeping Giant Is Awakened. It was surreal. I miss those kids.

Here's the sad answer to some of the Nate Morgan questions.

Jazz legend Nate Morgan dies of heart failure ‘Did what he came to do’ OW Staff Writer | 11/27/2013, midnight

Nate Morgan

3

Longtime Jazz pianist Nate Morgan died recently of heart failure at Gardena memorial hospital in Gardena, Calif. He was 60.

Rene Fisher, spokesperson for the Morgan family, says funeral arrangements are pending.

Before his passing, the famed musician suffered through a series of debilitating illnesses including a stroke that temporarily sidetracked his career in 2008. Morgan’s eclectic artistry behind the ivories put him in elite company among other Los Angeles Jazz musicians and solidified his place as a bona fide master of the genre.

In 2002, a community-wide tribute was held in response to Morgan’s failing health at the then newly opened Jatkodd Cultural Fine Arts Center in the Crenshaw District. Over the years since then, various benefit concerts and gatherings have taken place to honor Morgan’s legacy.

Philomine Morgan, his wife of more than 30 years, says she has fond memories of her husband’s loving spirit and playful attitude.

“These last five years he kept me laughing,” she recalled with a chuckle. “He made sure to say ‘I love you’ every morning and every night. He also sang to me every chance he could get.”

She continued, “Before he died, he told me that he has no regrets, that if he passed he did what he came on this earth to do.”

During his final days, Morgan’s diminished health almost required the removal of his arm, Philomine added.

“I couldn’t let that happen” she said earnestly. “He’s not just a musician, he’s an artist. When the doctor told me he might have to amputate Nate’s arm, I said: ‘if you can’t save his arm, don’t wake him up.”

Morgan spent part of the 1970s playing for Rufus and Chaka Khan and collaborated in the early 1990s with rappers Bone Thugs N’ Harmony. He’s also been touted as one of the best kept secrets of the Los Angeles Jazz scene.

Morgan is survived by his wife and their six children. Darius Nathaniel and Deshonda Johnson, and Nymekye, Jabari, Dors and Yusef Morgan.

Now I'm fascinated and confused. I need to find out who the 52-year-old Nate Morgan who is friends with all of the LA Jazz people is that I am connected with on FB. Egg on my face.

No need for egg, it's totally understandable. But it would be interesting to see what he knows about this Nate Morgan, who seems to have made wonderful use of his life. Love the stories of his marriage.