Lee Morgan film

[Jazzrook]

There's a new film on Lee Morgan by director Kasper Collin following his acclaimed documentary 'My Name Is Albert Ayler'.
'I Called Him Morgan' examines Lee's shooting at Slug's, New York by his partner, Helen Morgan.

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/sep/12/i-called-him-morgan-review-jazz-kasper-collin-lee-morgan

JR

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

There's a new film on Lee Morgan by director Kasper Collin following his acclaimed documentary 'My Name Is Albert Ayler'.
'I Called Him Morgan' examines Lee's shooting at Slug's, New York by his partner, Helen Morgan.

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/sep/12/i-called-him-morgan-review-jazz-kasper-collin-lee-morgan

JR

I've also just seen about this! There's an interview on Utube where he talks about the film project and its genesis - apparently he was more into free jazz (hence the Ayler) but one night saw a clip on Utube of Lee playing his solo on Dat Dere with Art Blakey in Japan and was mesmerised. Sounds good and very different to the Miles and Chet recent horrors.

BN.

[Jazzrook]

Sounds like a fascinating film. Hope I can get to see it sometime.
Can't understand why we're still waiting for a DVD of 'My Name Is Albert Ayler'.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKw4zRM4Hvc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4YJRiapFFY

JR

[Ian Thumwood]

Jazzrook

If you read some of the websites of magazines like Jazztimes and Downbeat as well as the rather "niche" All about Jazz, you will find that there have been a good number of documentary films about jazz over the last few years. Recent subjects have included Charles Lloyd, Clifford Brown and John Coltrane. The one that really appeals to me is the documentary about the late Thomas Chapin which has enjoyed some good reviews. I am not sure whether these films ever get screenings in the UK or whether they ever play outside of jazz festivals in the States where most would appear to have their premieres.

The Lee Morgan film looks interesting although I think that the subject's music way exceeds the profile of the musician whose mention outside of jazz performances is largely limited to his protects about jazz getting aired on television in the early 70's and his ultimate demise. His personality rarely gets mentioned and his personal life is staggeringly little known about when you consider more famous names or "cult" players like Dupree Boulton. It would be interesting to discover a bit more about him but I think anything that illustrates how celebrated Blue Note records actually reflected the true perspective of jazz "on the ground" at that time.

[Alyn_Shipton]

Ian, check out Tom Perchard's excellent biography of Lee Morgan. Published by Equinox.

[Alyn_Shipton]

https://www.equinoxpub.com/home/lee-morgan/

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

https://www.equinoxpub.com/home/lee-morgan/

Agree about that book and the Jazz Library devoted to Lee with Alyn and its author. One of the very best of that series. I would have thought there was quite a bit known about Lee Morgan's life and lifestyle now. There was a long audio description by Billy Hart of the context and final "events" on his website. I think he then took it down because it was a warts and all memoir and he got some flack. I've got a copy somewhere.

It does sound an interesting film and I just hope it doesn't go overboard on the "junkie glamour". Not that there was much of that in Lee's case, at times he was destitute and even Philly JJ kicked him out. As with Sonny Clark say, the quality of the music produced amazes despite the " life".

BN.

[Ian Thumwood]

Interesting to see some of the reviews of this book which suggest that the author did not believe that Morgan was a great improviser. I find this to be a really big surprise because I thought the most striking thing about Morgan's playing being the seemingly untiring technique. I dug out "The Sidewinder" a few months back after not hearing it for some while and it made me realise that the whole disc is not the stereo-typical Hard Bop record of that era and the sinuous lines composed by the trumpeter very much suit the playing style of Joe Henderson. With Blakey, Morgan always seemed at hand to make the explosive impact and even sophomore records like Coltrane's "Blue Trane" see the trumpet playing just about the best thing on the record.

I can understand why Morgan is always so admired since the pyrotechnic approach to his playing tends to lift whatever record he features on. Amongst the hierarchy of Hard Bop trumpeters I would have to say that Freddie Hubbard always seems a bit more musical and , as well as matching Morgan for the fiery nature of the playing, he always seems to have the advantage as a ballad player. At his finest, Hubbard's ballad playing is under-rated and always likely to turn up little gems. Other players like Kenny Dorham seem more original that Morgan and Clifford Brown also has a more "romantic" aura about his work which appeals to a lot of fans. I have never really thought about Morgan lacking anything in his playing and must admit that I never knew that he was yet another musician with narcotic issues. He is not like Hank Mobley whose dabbling in drugs had the impact of dulling the effectiveness of a good proportion of his playing. I am not aware of this ever being the case with Morgan whose work always seems to have a wealth of flair and elan.

The comment in the Amazon review made me think how frequently some players who seem to play "hotter" or with more aggression often get discounted in contrast to more considered soloists even if, in their heyday, these musicians might have been really highly considered and often seen as the masters of their instruments. I am thinking about the likes of Benny Goodman, Roy Eldridge or Lionel Hampton. I am not familiar with this book but it does seem curmudgeonly to criticise a musician who had effectively been the definition of the hard bop trumpeter.

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

The Lee Morgan film was previewed (screened) this weekend at the London Film Festival. I believe its becoming more generally available in 2017.

Richard Williams now has a review of it on his "Blue Moment" blog.

BN.

[Alyn_Shipton]

Interview with Kaspar Collin and review of movie coming up on Jazz Now on Monday week.