Bol Posted November 14, 2003 Report Share Posted November 14, 2003 Well, I really like this session, and more than most of his mid-1960s sessions. I know that will sound like heresy to many of you. I have a late 1980's Blue Note issue of it, and have been looking for the TOCj version for a long time now. If any of you want to sell your TOCJ copy, please let me know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BFrank Posted November 14, 2003 Report Share Posted November 14, 2003 I'm listening to the DMM LP. I must say that the mastering here contributes to the lack of spark. It's got a real "dull" sound. As mentioned earlier, I wouldn't put it in my top 10 Lee Morgan releases. It's not a dog, but it's not a thoroughbred, either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davef Posted November 14, 2003 Report Share Posted November 14, 2003 OK, not great, but worth it if you pay less than I did over Ebay which was about $27. Not that I'm selling my copy anytime soon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrJ Posted November 14, 2003 Report Share Posted November 14, 2003 (edited) sidewinder Posted on Nov 13 2003, 07:39 PM 'Once In a Lifetime' also hits a nice groove in the opening bars (and avoiding any comparisons with the naff Anthony Newley vocal version of the tune) but I'm less happy with what they do with the later part of the theme. Sounds less than convincing. If I may so boldly say so, sidewinder's post struck a chord with me: I think Lee Morgan was one of the most convincing interpreters of otherwise rather unpromising pop/Broadway material in the 60's in jazz, right up there with Grant Green in that category. "Once in a Lifetime" on RAJAH is actually one of my FAVORITE cuts on the album, precisely because it is so lyrical and tuneful and sticks in the head (in a good sense, not in the "song virus" sense), a perfect vehicle for Morgan in his laid back mode. I also think his take on "Sunrise, Sunset" on DELIGHTFULLEE is superb for the same reason, with Shorter in his best shouting bag while Morgan holds back and builds tension (and while you're relistening to that one, pay CLOSE attention to the fire Philly Joe Jones is lighting under everyone throughout that track, it's damn near a single song drumming clinic), and the pop covers on STANDARDS ("This is the Life" swings like mad, and "If I Were a Carpenter," which ostensibly is a terrible choice, really works too). Yep, he had a real talent for this. Compare Morgan's pop covers to those by someone like, say, Hank Mobley, one of my favorites but really his Beatles covers were DIRE, they felt fully like someone who was trying their damndest to mine some gold from some rather harmonically thin soil and coming up with dirt and rocks. Lee mines gold! Edited November 14, 2003 by DrJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rooster_Ties Posted November 14, 2003 Report Share Posted November 14, 2003 Absolutely agree, DrJ. The STANDARDS album is a great example of this, and also his version of "Stormy Weather" from the U.S. Conn of "Sonic Boom" (originally on the 1969 session on the double LP "The Procrastinator) is totally wonderful. Lee could play this kind of stuff in both a hip and accessable way. My wife is not much of a fan of jazz with any kind of horns in it (she does like piano trios, however). But she has always kinda liked the Lee Morgan STANDARDS album, and her ears perk up (in a good way) at that version of "Stormy Weather" too. He really could do it all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrJ Posted November 14, 2003 Report Share Posted November 14, 2003 YES! Totally agree Rooster Ties, I absolutely love his arrangement of "Stormy Weather!" I wouldn't put that tune in the "unpromising pop/Broadway" category myself, which is why I didn't include it in my post, but some would say it's been done to death and so would group it in there, I can certainly understand that. Personally, I think it's a timeless masterpiece of a song, but regardless, the fact that Lee was able to come up with something pretty much new to say on this old chestnut (not earthshaking, but tasty and distinctive) just drives home the point we're making about his gifts as an interpreter of song. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
king ubu Posted November 14, 2003 Report Share Posted November 14, 2003 And check out the interplay of Hancock and Carter on STANDARDS! The Billie Holiday tune they do is plain beautiful! ubu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazzbo Posted November 14, 2003 Report Share Posted November 14, 2003 I agree about his interpretive skills, and I confess to really liking more and more as time goes by the "laid back, mellow" Lee. . . Sometimes his fiery stuff seems like a rotating bag of tricks, but he manages to bring out the heart of the song with his lyrical playing and wonderful sound when he's doing the ballads and the medium tempo numbers. . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted November 14, 2003 Report Share Posted November 14, 2003 Lee did have a way with melody, no doubt about that. He really understood the whole tension/release thing of knowing when to play and when not to play. I think that carried over into his soloing, especially as he matured. CANDY is a great early example of that. and "Ill Wind" from CORNBREAD is a classic, imo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazzmoose Posted November 14, 2003 Report Share Posted November 14, 2003 ...and "Ill Wind" from CORNBREAD is a classic, imo. My favorite cover by Lee, without a doubt! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidewinder Posted November 14, 2003 Report Share Posted November 14, 2003 I think Lee's muted solo on 'Once I Loved' on that 'Inner Space' session with Elvin Jones included in the Elvin Complete Blue Note Mosaic set comes in this category too. Lee times his phrasing on this one to near perfection. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrJ Posted November 15, 2003 Report Share Posted November 15, 2003 Haven't heard that one yet, sidewinder...glad there's still some unexplored Lee Morgan for me! The Elvin box is on my list for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidewinder Posted November 15, 2003 Report Share Posted November 15, 2003 (edited) Haven't heard that one yet, sidewinder...glad there's still some unexplored Lee Morgan for me! The Elvin box is on my list for sure. DrJ - you're in for a real treat ! Get your order in for the Elvin Mosaic forthwith or (if you have a turntable) look out for the Elvin 'Prime Element' twofer LP set. It's a cracking session with Lee plus George Coleman, Frank Foster, Wilbur Little and Candido. Leads off with a really nice and unusually pianoless version of 'Inner Space' and there's another track called 'Champagne Baby' that grooves like the proverbial clappers with great interaction between Elvin and Candido . All in all one of my fave Lee (and Elvin) sessions and nicely recorded by Van the Man too. This one is a prime candidate for the 'Future Conn' list IMO Edited November 15, 2003 by sidewinder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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