AVIDIGI

The Philadelphia-born trumpeter and superb bop stylist Lee Morgan apprenticed with Dizzy Gillespie and Art Blakey before emerging as a leader in his own right in the early '60s for Blue Note Records. Although Morgan owed a stylistic debt to both Gillespie and Clifford Brown, he quickly developed a voice of his own that combined half-valve effects, Latin inflections, and full, fluid melodies. While many of Morgan's later sessions for Blue Note would find him paired with saxophonist Hank Mobley, The Sidewinder features then up-and-coming tenor player Joe Henderson, plus Detroit pianist Barry Harris, bassist Bob Cranshaw, and drummer Billy Higgins. Along with the title track, an unconventional 24-bar blues, the album's compositional standout is "Totem Pole," a minor Latin groove featuring an outstanding solo by Henderson. This is the kind of relaxed blowing date, invigorated by thoughtful performances, that forms the backbone of the Blue Note catalog.

Personnel:

Lee Morgan - Trumpet
Joe Henderson - Tenor Saxophone
Barry Harris - Piano
Bob Cranshaw - Bass
Billy Higgins – Drums

Tracklist:

01 - The Sidewinder
02 - Totem Pole
03 - Totem Pole (Alternate Take)
04 - Gary's Notebook
05 - Boy, What A Night
06 - Hocus-Pocus