Customer Reviews

Easy Living

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This was Frank Morgan's comeback album after a 29-year hiatus spent in jail and rehab, and it's a beauty. Morgan reminds me of two other alto players, Art Pepper (for his tone) and Sonny Criss (for his approach). There are a number of highlights on this CD, originally recorded in 1985. Frank's lyrical playing on MANHA DE CARNAVAL is one; Wayne Shorter's classy tune utililizing 4 bars of built up tension before a release, is another. Cedar Walton is on piano and contributes a catchy tune, THE RUBBER MAN. Morgan made up for lost time after his comeback: after making just one album under his own name (in 1955), he would record 14 of them from 1985-1995 alone. Welcome back, indeed!

The ironically-titled Easy Living is alto saxophonist Frank Morgan's comeback album after nearly three decades of personal setbacks due to drug addiction, illness, and jail. The 1985 session was his first as a leader since 1957, when his musical style earned the Los Angeles-based youngster a reputation as the next Charlie Parker. Parker is still referenced here ("Now's the Time") but Morgan returned with a more relaxed, mature sound, by turns elegantly lyrical, as on the beautiful McCoy Tyner waltz "Three Flowers," and slyly witty, as on Cedar Walton's "The Rubber Man." Walton's trio provides the perfect foil for Morgan--Walton's piano playing is gorgeous and drummer Billy Higgins works his magic throughout the set. Walton and Higgins take brilliant turns on Wayne Shorter's "Yes and No." --John Swenson - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1. Manha De Carnaval
2. Yes And No
3. Easy Living
4. The Rubber Man
5. Third Street Blues
6. Three Flowers
7. Embraceable You
8. Now's The Time