Lee Morgan was an American jazz trumpeter and composer. One of the most important hard bop musicians of the 1960s, Morgan rose to prominence in his late teens and recorded with bandleaders such as John Coltrane, Curtis Fuller, Dizzy Gillespie, Hank Mobley, and Wayne Shorter. Morgan also played in Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers. Morgan remained with Blakey until 1961 and began recording as a leader in the late 1950s. His composition "The Sidewinder," from the album of the same name, became a surprise crossover hit on the pop and R&B charts in 1964. After a second stint in Blakey's band, Morgan remained productive both as a leader and as a sideman until his death in 1972.
"Here's Lee Morgan," originally released in 1960 on the Vee-Jay label, is Lee Morgan's tenth album. The album is a collection of six hard bop tracks, and Morgan is backed by Clifford Jordan (tenor sax), Wynton Kelly (piano), Paul Chambers (bass), and Art Blakey (drums). This new edition of the album is being released as part of the Original Jazz Classics Series.
