Artist:Lee Morgan
Song:Just By Myself
Album:City Lights
Lee Morgan was yet another great musician who served his apprenticeship with Art Blakey while making his own great music. Unfortunately, he died tragically in the 70s. He was born July 10, 1938 in Philadelphia. He took up the trumpet at an early age and was performing professionally at age 15. When Clifford Brown died in 1956, the search was on for his successor. Morgan joined Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers and signed a solo contract with Blue Note in Nov. 1956. City Lights was released in 1957. It has a 19 year old Morgan jamming with veterans like Curtis Fuller on trombone, George Coleman on sax, Ray Bryant on piano, Paul Chambers on bass and Art Taylor on drums. Benny Golson was the arranger and wrote most of the songs including Just By Myself. For years City Lights was only available in Japan but Blue Note released it on CD last year as part of the Rudy Van Gelder Remaster series. Lee Morgan continued to play with Art Blakey and became one of the top trumpeters of the 60s. On Feb. 19, 1972, Morgan was performing at the New York club Slugs when he was shot and killed by his common law wife Helen More. It was certainly a great loss for the jazz community. Here's Lee Morgan performing I Remember Clifford with Art Blakey in 1958.
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