What a giant Lee was, thank goodness for all his Blue Note works and a special gratitude to the legendary wizards of the "Lion" and the "Wolf" of Blue Note for bringing forth some of the very finest Jazz music and photos in the recording business!!!
Couldn't agree with you more. Back in the late 60's, when I was a jazz DJ, I was always excited when the new batch of bluenote records arrived. There was always something special about them.
@@danmccloskyradiointerviews to put it mildly ....SURE U HAVE WATCHED "I CALLED HIM MORGAN" - watch again. Frankie & Johnny multiplied to the saddest maximum ...
I was fortunate to see and hear Lee at West coast nightclub. “The Lighthouse”. I got there and the only sent left was knee distance from the stage right in the middle and the bandstand was so crowded that Lee sat his drink on my little table. We exchanged a few words. Look for Bob Crenshaw. It’s about a 12 minute interview. He explains how Lee Morgan came up the tune
What a treasure! Thank you for sharing! I just dived into some Morgan records last night- The Cooker, Sidewinder, Cornbread, and the new release of Infinity. (And so much more to enjoy from Lee's 15 years as a professional recording artist)
I remember the Sunday morning when we got the bad news about Lee’s death. It was a shock. We were waiting for the auditorium to open because we would play fee concerts. I’m a bassist.
Dan,thank you for this and all the other interviews in an amazing archive.I recently went through a lot of interviews that I had done while doing a jazz program on WRTI, Temple University's jazz station. With so many of these giants having left us over the years,these interviews become more and more of a treasure. Thank you again!
Hello Postatility, thanks for all the nice comments. Much appreciated. I would love to hear who you interviewed when you were on WRTI. It would be good to chat. Please send me an email so we can communicate: dan@dannythehat.com
Great historical document. Thank you. Here are some additional notes that may be of interest. The interview was most likely conducted JAN-MAR 1969 1. Lee mentions his then-new band had "…just recorded two albums but it will be a little while before they come out…"; however Blue Note sessionography only lists a single 13SEP68 recording session with the new personnel. ⁃ The session recordings were ultimately rejected by Blue Note. ⁃ Producer, Duke Pearson, who was surely very much acquainted of Lee’s recorded body of work at Blue Note, most likely had a hand in the decision to reject the recordings. Although Michael Cuscuna, who later auditioned the session, agreed, he eventually saw fit to release 3 of the recordings - as bonus selections on the 1999 CD release of "The Sixth Sense" and serve as the only document of Lee’s then-new 1968-69 band. ⁃ This was his first LP recording session since "Carumbia" (03MAY68) 2. Lee’s next session was for a commercial 45, on 22MAY69. That Lee doesn’t mention this in the interview suggests Blue Note’s plan was not yet formulated. 3. Lee’s following sessions (12SEP69 and 10OCT69) were also unreleased in his lifetime. (These two dates, sometimes referred to as "Uncle Rough" were added as bonus selections to the 2003 CD release of "Sonic Boom".) 4. Lee mentions he was making 4 albums each year. This is not accurate given the practice at Blue Note was to issue one LP each year for each artist. For example, Horace Silver, Blue Note’s top seller in the 1960s, only recorded 1LP/year. Further explanation is in order: ⁃ Based on the number of recording dates held, Grant Green and Lee Morgan were the most prolific Blue Note recording artists in the 1960s. It has been conjectured for years that the label’s major heron addicts (Grant Green, Jackie McLean and Morgan) would come to Al Lion (Blue Note’s co-owner) for "an advance…". Lion would then respond by arranging an "ad-hoc" recording session - paying for the standard base arrangement at the time: a 4-hour rehearsal and a subsequent 4-hour recording session. The artists were paid for their time and Lion collected (and stowed) an LP’s worth of recorded music to be used at Blue Note’s later discretion (note: nearly all of these sessions were subsequently released by Michael Cuscuna beginning in the 1970s). ⁃ Once Al Lion left Blue Note (AUG 1967), there were no more of these ad hoc recording sessions and Lee’s LP-recording output diminished substantially.
@@danmccloskyradiointerviews Thank you, Mr. McClosky, for initially capturing and subsequently providing this significant historical document. Precious little spoken word audio and video was captured in the US during the 1960s -- which was an apex of sorts for jazz development. During the 1960s, Blue Note had five trumpeters under extended contracts: Donald Byrd, Freddie Hubbard, Lee, Blue Mitchell and Kenny Dorham; and these men continue to be recognized as preeminent, stalwart artists whose contributions to jazz are eternal. We're fortunate Al Lion and Francis Wolff of Blue Note saw fit to offer recording contracts to these artists (and others, as well) and capture their creations in a manner -- as Lee emphasized in your interview -- that was essentially free from A&R interference.
What a giant Lee was, thank goodness for all his Blue Note works and a special gratitude to the legendary wizards of the "Lion" and the "Wolf" of Blue Note for bringing forth some of the very finest Jazz music and photos in the recording business!!!
Couldn't agree with you more. Back in the late 60's, when I was a jazz DJ, I was always excited when the new batch of bluenote records arrived. There was always something special about them.
@@danmccloskyradiointerviews to put it mildly ....SURE U HAVE WATCHED "I CALLED HIM MORGAN" - watch again. Frankie & Johnny multiplied to the saddest maximum ...
I was fortunate to see and hear Lee at West coast nightclub. “The Lighthouse”. I got there and the only sent left was knee distance from the stage right in the middle and the bandstand was so crowded that Lee sat his drink on my little table. We exchanged a few words. Look for Bob Crenshaw. It’s about a 12 minute interview. He explains how Lee Morgan came up the tune
Lee. Forever.
What a treasure! Thank you for sharing! I just dived into some Morgan records last night- The Cooker, Sidewinder, Cornbread, and the new release of Infinity. (And so much more to enjoy from Lee's 15 years as a professional recording artist)
Such an important document you’ve captured. Thank you Dan!
Thanks very much for your comments. Glad you enjoyed it!.
18 years old sounding so great
I remember the Sunday morning when we got the bad news about Lee’s death. It was a shock. We were waiting for the auditorium to open because we would play fee concerts. I’m a bassist.
Delightful LEE! What a TREAT!! Thank You Dan!!
Good to hear LEE speaking for him selv. Great music as always comes from this Great troppestis
Lee was as hip as can be - he even was the synonym for hip.
Incredible to have these treasured recordings and interviews,, great stuff
Thanks. These interviews are priceless to fans. So rare to hear Lee at length.
Really glad you are liking the interviews. They are historical for sure. It's nice to be able to pass their words on to other people
Excellent music and interview. Thank you!
Glad you enjoyed it!
I love bird, Trane. And miles and Freddie but Lee on record is phenomenal
THANKS SO MUCH FOR THIS INCREDIBLE DOCUMENT!!!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Lee Morgan IS!!
Dan,thank you for this and all the other interviews in an amazing archive.I recently went through a lot of interviews that I had done while doing a jazz program on WRTI, Temple University's jazz station. With so many of these giants having left us over the years,these interviews become more and more of a treasure. Thank you again!
Hello Postatility, thanks for all the nice comments. Much appreciated. I would love to hear who you interviewed when you were on WRTI. It would be good to chat. Please send me an email so we can communicate: dan@dannythehat.com
Thanks for this interview!!!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Great interview Dan ! So great to hear this amazing interview
Really glad you liked it. Hope to see you soon for another jam session.
🎵🎶🎵🎺🔥
LEE!!!!!
I heard an interview with Lee Morgan around that time in Los Angeles. It was claimed to be the last interview
🤤 *Promosm*
What does Promosm mean?
Great historical document. Thank you.
Here are some additional notes that may be of interest.
The interview was most likely conducted JAN-MAR 1969
1. Lee mentions his then-new band had "…just recorded two albums but it will be a little while before they come out…"; however Blue Note sessionography only lists a single 13SEP68 recording session with the new personnel.
⁃ The session recordings were ultimately rejected by Blue Note.
⁃ Producer, Duke Pearson, who was surely very much acquainted of Lee’s recorded body of work at Blue Note, most likely had a hand in the decision to reject the recordings. Although Michael Cuscuna, who later auditioned the session, agreed, he eventually saw fit to release 3 of the recordings - as bonus selections on the 1999 CD release of "The Sixth Sense" and serve as the only document of Lee’s then-new 1968-69 band.
⁃ This was his first LP recording session since "Carumbia" (03MAY68)
2. Lee’s next session was for a commercial 45, on 22MAY69. That Lee doesn’t mention this in the interview suggests Blue Note’s plan was not yet formulated.
3. Lee’s following sessions (12SEP69 and 10OCT69) were also unreleased in his lifetime. (These two dates, sometimes referred to as "Uncle Rough" were added as bonus selections to the 2003 CD release of "Sonic Boom".)
4. Lee mentions he was making 4 albums each year. This is not accurate given the practice at Blue Note was to issue one LP each year for each artist. For example, Horace Silver, Blue Note’s top seller in the 1960s, only recorded 1LP/year. Further explanation is in order:
⁃ Based on the number of recording dates held, Grant Green and Lee Morgan were the most prolific Blue Note recording artists in the 1960s. It has been conjectured for years that the label’s major heron addicts (Grant Green, Jackie McLean and Morgan) would come to Al Lion (Blue Note’s co-owner) for "an advance…". Lion would then respond by arranging an "ad-hoc" recording session - paying for the standard base arrangement at the time: a 4-hour rehearsal and a subsequent 4-hour recording session. The artists were paid for their time and Lion collected (and stowed) an LP’s worth of recorded music to be used at Blue Note’s later discretion (note: nearly all of these sessions were subsequently released by Michael Cuscuna beginning in the 1970s).
⁃ Once Al Lion left Blue Note (AUG 1967), there were no more of these ad hoc recording sessions and Lee’s LP-recording output diminished substantially.
Excellent and very informative comments. Thank you very much for your research.
@@danmccloskyradiointerviews Thank you, Mr. McClosky, for initially capturing and subsequently providing this significant historical document.
Precious little spoken word audio and video was captured in the US during the 1960s -- which was an apex of sorts for jazz development. During the 1960s, Blue Note had five trumpeters under extended contracts: Donald Byrd, Freddie Hubbard, Lee, Blue Mitchell and Kenny Dorham; and these men continue to be recognized as preeminent, stalwart artists whose contributions to jazz are eternal. We're fortunate Al Lion and Francis Wolff of Blue Note saw fit to offer recording contracts to these artists (and others, as well) and capture their creations in a manner -- as Lee emphasized in your interview -- that was essentially free from A&R interference.