Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Frank Morgan Remembered



Alto Sax player Frank Morgan died in 2007, just short of his 74th birthday. He was based in the Twin Cities of Minnesota, which is the largest urban area close to my home in South Dakota. So though I never heard Morgan play, I feel like he belongs to me.

His album Reflections (2000) is marvelous. Straight P3 jazz, with some major jazz men in attendance. Ron Carter plays bass and Joe Henderson joins with his tenor. It must have been one of Henderson's last gigs. Al Foster is on drums and Bobby Henderson on vibraphone. Mulgrew Miller play piano. This is perfect jazz: digging deep for all the ore that any melody promises, and then displaying it in a rainbow of bell tones. Bobby Henderson earned his keep on this one.

This makes me happy. Check out this selection:
Frank Morgan/Black Narcissus/Reflections
If you like it, you can get it on eMusic for pennies. Otherwise, look for it at Barnes and Noble.


No comments:

Post a Comment