Most Def,, He was guy on the Night of the Cookers ... and I went to see him Live at the Light house in 1970 8 out of 10 nights mostly all the recording nights there in summer July 1970.. RIP also Harold Mabern Mickey Roker and jymmy Merrit.
Chatted with him during intermission 1st night Live at Lighthouse recording.Very low tone voice.My crew and i can be heard voicing approval at the beginning of "Nommo"
This is just one example of the incredible range of moods and colors that Lee's music offered. On this day,which would have been Lee's 72nd birthday,we reflect upon his greatness,and realize how much we miss him.
EDWARD LEE MORGAN (July 10th, 1938 - February 19th, 1972). This broadcast was recorded on January 26th, 1972. The show was entitled SOUL. Horace Silver, Bobbi Humphrey, Bob Cranshaw, Mickey Roker, Andy Bey, Solomon Bey, Cecil Bridgewater, etc., were also on the program. I don't know why PBS will not show the entire program, and it is IN COLOR!!! Lee's group consisted of Billy Harper on tenor and flute, Harold Mabern, Jr. on piano, Jymie Merritt on apex bass, and Freddie Waits on drums. This was also Lee Morgan's last working unit. They were there when the brilliant trumpeter-composer was physically taken from us at SLUGS' SALOON in the East Village, New York City during the early hours of February 19th, 1972. Lee Morgan was only thirty-three years old. It was a tremendous loss, indeed. My mother was the one who delivered the tragic news later to me that evening. I had just finished playing LEE MORGAN INDEED! (Blue Note BLP 1538), recorded when he was only eighteen years old, and THE GIGOLO (Blue Note BST 84212) along with CLIFFORD BROWN AND MAX ROACH (EmArcy MG 36036), their self-titled LP. CLIFFORD BENJAMIN BROWN, SR., JOHN BIRKS GILLESPIE and THEODORE NAVARRO, JR. were Lee's major influences on the trumpet. Brownie and Diz were also personal friends of the former. I was eighteen years old at the time and took Lee's death extremely hard.
Thank you for your very touching memories. I recall Frankie Crocker on WLIB-FM (now WBLS) radio altering his regular music programming to devote air time instead to Lee Morgan's music after the Slug's incident. This was an interesting period in jazz. I recall that some felt the art form was in decline, in part because of the avant garde movement and perhaps because of the economics of doing gigs at places like Slug's or the Vanguard. I had read somewhere that Lee Morgan led a group of musicians who essentially occupied a PBS studio to bring attention to the fact that jazz was not getting enough airplay on public TV during this time. I think Billy Harper may have been one of the occupiers. Harper did a recording on the Strata East label in the early 1970s, a label that was artist-owned; I think Charles Tolliver and Stanley Cowell were two of the driving forces behind Strata East. Indeed, an interesting look back thanks to a musical genius.
Wow,thank you so much for that touching bio.I am 60 years of age, started playing trot at age 11, heard a lot of horn players in the 70',80's,He became my idol and I didn't know anything about him. But I researched as years passed and was fortunate enough to study under another great.... Donald Byrd, who had nothing but great things to say about Mr.Morgan.And in 1983 I met his brother in Fayetteville,NC.He is the one who told me how he passed. I had just listened to Lee on my walkman(Donna Lee) the trip to Fayetteville.
Thank you for sharing this information. I didn't this was his last televised performance before his untimely death (I'm still saddened by that 😞😪). The 🌎 lost a magnificent musician. I've watched his documentary on Netflix "I call him Morgan" and quite honestly I don't feel like it did him ⚖. I would like to see a true authentic documentary about Edward Lee Morgan and not just about his 💉 use and Helen Moore becoming his saving grace to turn around and kill him in a jealous rage. She didn't even serve real jail time for the crime. I just kept thinking if the paramedics would have gotten there and not taking over an hour to reach Slugs... He would he have survived? That's a question no one will ever know 😔 It's just sad all the way around. I like this tune though. It has a feel good sound to it. Lee Morgan will always have a prolific place as part of jazz royal. Rest in Paradise 👑 & that's what's up!!!!
I feel the same way Jeri They say that it was a big snow storm that night and that’s why it took the ambulance so long but I believe it was also racism to
@@johnsaunders4836 oh yeah most definitely racism had a lot to do with it. Many of the jazz artists (from back in day) made an exodus overseas to Europe because for them they felt their art form (and yes the jazz genre was a Black American 🎼 art form) was more appreciate. Until this day... You have many contemporary & smooth jazz artists who tend to do a lot of your overseas for the same reason that Lee Morgan did, Dexter Gordon did, Sonny Rollins did, and definitely Louis "Pop" Armstrong did. We lost Alfred McCoy Tyner this year (great 🎹 player) also Jimmy Cobb. A lot of the folks from the golden era of jazz is leaving us 😞. I had the pleasure of 👀 Pharoah Sanders & Benny Golson last labor day weekend at the John Coltrane International Jazz & Blues Festival. It was amazing! I can go on and on about my love for the 🎶 art form... It would have been nice to 👀 what would have become of Lee if he lived a longer life. I'm just enjoying the legacy he left behind & that's what's up!!!
I first met the late, great Lee Morgan and his common-law wife, Helen Moore at Blue Note Records. I was fifteen years old at the time. My jaw dropped!!! Francis Wolff's secretary, Brenda was present as well. She's on the classic Lou Donaldson album cover entitled SAY IT LOUD (Blue Note BST 84299). Frank was also present.
@@jwalker7277 ...We exchanged our hellos. Lee asked me about the instruments I played, which was the trumpet and trombone. He also asked me about my favorite modern jazz trumpeters. I mentioned Brownie, himself, Diz, Fat Girl and Hub, etc., and also my favorite modern jazz trombonists, Jay Jay, Curtis, Grachan Moncur III (I told Lee that latter made me cringe). I also did a sketch of Lee. His common-law wife Helen was extremely quiet.
My jaw dropped when i found this song on RU-vid, i bought the album bbut i always wanted to see the song live played and i'm still in shock Lee Morgan is a true genius and if you haven't read his autobio book "Delighfulee" you dont know what your missing
oh wow thanks for that. I want to know all I can about Lee. I remember talking to Freddie Hubbard about Lee. We talked about other trumpet players and when I mention Lee Freddie's reply was " I have to play a bunch of notes but, Lee plays one note and grooves/ swings. Lee and Freddie and Clifford were to me the best.
How wonderful it is to find this! I had a cassette tape with this performance... And had no idea about "Brother Jacob are you sleeping" reference... Another piece from the same session is Angela - incredible...
FYI Guys This footage is not from Lighthouse July 1970 This from TV show SOUL PBS WNET.. I was there in Hermosa beach flute here is Billy Harper but at Lighthouse it was Benny Maupin reeds/woods
Cool to see almost an entire audience of black people. Lee was always immensely popular. So sad that he should die in such a tragic way. They should make a biopic about him.
Well, you finally got your wish! Someone made a biopic of Lee Morgan. It's called "I Called Him Morgan" and its NYC premiere was during the New York Film Festival in the autumn of 2016!
I just meet Lee Morgan from the Netflix documentary. So sad 😞 for all involve. Also sad for his wife, it was really drugs that took him. Yes she pulled the trigger, but he would have been dead long before. He was a great talent 👏 indeed. I know & understand what the horse can do to people. Someone I love is there in that world. Praying 🙏
I would say 1970 or 1971. This is from a broadcast of a Public Broadcasting Service program that aired in New York City during that time. The program was called "Soul" and it often featured jazz musicians back then,. My recollection is that Lee Morgan, Bill Harper (on flute here), and other jazz musicians demanded more jazz programming on the New York PBS station, WNET. I recall hearing something about Morgan and others seizing a WNET studio back then, akin to how African American students in that era used to seize buildings on college campuses.
It's not Hubert Laws on flute but rather Billy Harper. During his two or so years touring, Lee used either Billy or Benny Maupin as his tenor player. Both also doubled on flute. Bill Benjamin Asheville, NC
Seriously? Who gives a shit. Lee blows them all away in terms of soul and personality. Maybe not Clifford, his personal idol, but Wynton? Come on man. Wynton is stiff and his tone is stuffy.
