Lee Morgan: The Cooker (Tone Poet series) [BLUE NOTE]

Why you'll love it

This Tone Poet edition is mastered from the original master tapes onto 180g vinyl, in a gatefold jacket, with Joe Harley supervising. Morgan cut it at 19 with Pepper Adams, Bobby Timmons, Paul Chambers and Philly Joe Jones.

This edition

• Tone Poet series
• 180g vinyl
• Gatefold jacket
• Mastered from the original master tapes
• Stereo mix

About the album

Most of us at nineteen were still working out how to boil an egg. Lee Morgan was leading a Blue Note session with a band of heavyweights, recorded on September 29, 1957, with Alfred Lion producing and Rudy Van Gelder at the controls.

"A Night In Tunisia" opens at full gallop, Morgan tearing through double-time lines against Philly Joe Jones's explosive drums, and Pepper Adams's baritone gives the front line a deep, burly contrast. "Heavy Dipper" and "New-Ma" were among Morgan's first recorded originals, "Just One Of Those Things" flies, and "Lover Man" shows off his tender side. You can already hear the trademarks: clipped notes, upward slurs, half-valving.

AllMusic's Scott Yanow called it an essential acquisition, saying Morgan already ranked just below Dizzy Gillespie and Miles Davis. With Reid Miles's design and Francis Wolff's photos presented in a gatefold, it's a handsome thing to leave lying about where guests will see it.

Also at Kops: more Lee Morgan on vinyl · browse Classic Jazz

Tracklist

Listen

On Blue Note (cat# BST 81578), a reissue of the 1958 album.