Customer Reviews

Gigolo

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Since none of the three reviews below provides any information as to the contents of this fine CD, I thought I would be of assistance. First, don't let the cheesy title fool you -- "The Gigolo" is classic, thoughtful hard bop from a band of Blue Note greats. This disc, recorded over two sessions in the summer of 1965, features the quintet of Wayne Shorter on tenor sax, Harold Mabern on piano, Bob Cranshaw on bass, Billy Higgins on drums, and of course, Lee on trumpet. After the success of "The Sidewinder," all of Lee's albums began with a rocking soul jazz number, and "Yes I Can, No You Can't" plays the part on "The Gigolo." Next of the album's four Morgan originals is the bright and sunny "Trapped," followed by the quick-hitting "Speedball," a tune that Lee would perform consistently live for the rest of his life. (There's a great version on "Live At The Lighthouse" -- see my review.) Two versions of the stunning, reflective title-track (the original and an alternate take) are next, and the performance concludes in very un-Lee Morgan style with the medium-tempo ballad "You Go To My Head," the album's only standard. With "The Gigolo," Morgan demonstrates that he has once again found the winning formula for a successful jazz album.

As much as I love "the procrastinator", "cornbread", and "the sidewinder", this is the definative Lee Morgan album for me. As with all post-sidewinder albums the knock on this one by the jazz-police (the great defenders of cliche and self-important snobbery) is the sidewinderesque first track: "Yes I can, No you can't". For people who can look past labels (and the head of the tune) what you'll find with this track is something very similar to Hank Mobley's "Dippin'", namely a very soulful, very engaging, slice of jazz-funk, done as only Lee Morgan could do it. However the person who makes this album a classic isn't so much the usual suspect of excellence: Wayne Shorter and his brilliant compositional skills and jagged tenor, but rather the pure-hot-fire drumming of Billy Higgins. I think a pretty good case could be made that no one in the history of jazz was a player in more quality recorded sessions than Higgins, one of the two or three greatest ever drummers in jazz. This is a man who could truely do it all, from the high speed Tony Williams like drumming on this album, to, fast forward forty years, his verging on languid, anticipating-improv with Charles Lloyd. Billy Higgins kept the fire burning for a long time, and under many different jazz-pots, but with this album we get Higgins at his most vital, his most alive and immediate. We also get Lee Morgan at his most engaged, no hint here of some of the going-through-the-motions-tiredness of some sideman sessions, or the hesitant tone of late sixties post-swimming accident Lee. This is Lee reaching into his bag of tricks and shooting them all out of his shining horn. He even throws in a ballad just to show that he can. In short this is an album for people who can see past the cheese of the title, the tired criticisms of the self-superior, and who can deal with an album on its own terms. If you can do that what you'll find is a master on the trumpet doing what he does best. And that is a thing to behold.

Recently out-of-print (though still easily found) it is great to have Lee Morgan's "Gigolo" available once again via this RVG Edition. Don't let the cheesy title fool you -- "The Gigolo" is classic, thoughtful hard bop from a band of Blue Note greats. This disc, recorded over two sessions in the summer of 1965, features the quintet of Wayne Shorter on tenor sax, Harold Mabern on piano, Bob Cranshaw on bass, Billy Higgins on drums, and of course, Lee on trumpet. After the success of "The Sidewinder," all of Lee's albums began with a rocking soul jazz number, and "Yes I Can, No You Can't" fits the bill on "The Gigolo." Next of the album's four Morgan originals is the bright and sunny "Trapped," followed by the quick-hitting "Speedball," a tune that Lee would perform consistently live for the rest of his life. (There's a great version on "Live At The Lighthouse" -- see my review.) The stunning, reflective title-track (an alternate take is additionally included) is next, and the performances conclude in very un-Lee Morgan fashion with the medium-tempo ballad "You Go To My Head," the album's only standard. With "The Gigolo," Morgan demonstrates that he has once again found the winning formula for a successful jazz album.

A great album ! Lee Morgan and Wayne Shorter are a great combination. I always felt that Lee Morgan had the greatest trumpet phrasing and sound, and this album proves it. The title track is wonderful with hints of Latin in the melody, and has all the vitality in the world. The opening track - "yes I can no you can't" is F U N K Y and will get you moving to its beat immediately. The second track "trapped" shows what I mean about Morgan's amazing phrasing. It also has a short and tasteful solo by Harold Mabern Jr. the pianist. The third track (speedball) has an evasive melody and interesting chord progressions. It may be the most sophisticated track on the cd (but it is still funky !) Wayne Shorter plays great here (as always) and although he does not outshine Morgan - he is almost his equal. I love the concept of the rhythm section - all wonderful musicians - pushing the soloists without taking over. I loved it and my friends loved it. Buy and enjoy !!!

I first heard the title track on KLON here in Los Angeles and that was the beginning of a great discovery. LEE MORGAN!! The guy was a genius and this album is a true masterpiece. Most of the songs are frenetic with Harold Mabern and Billy Higgins providing a fast pace for Wayne Shorter and Lee Morgan to do their respective thing. Let me tell you, these two guys are like a sock and kick to the mouth, POW! Hard bop at its best. The best song, though, after the tension and speed of the first four songs, is the beautifully surreal "You Go To My Head." I hesitate to even use this word, but it is pretty. Buy this, you will not regret it.

This is a wonderful session by Morgan, Mabern, and Shorter. Ever since I first heard The Sidewinder and Search for the New Land, I have been hungering for more of that kind of hard bop brilliance and beauty. The Gigolo is nearly of that level and the RVG edition here gave me great pleasure--more than The Rumproller, though The Rumproller is also an enjoyable set. If you like Lee Morgan or can admire confident, masterful trumpet-playing, The Gigolo is a very safe bet and a highly recommended purchase.

Free jazz during the 1960s did not mean hard bop disappeared, far from it. Eric Dolphy worked with Oliver Nelson, Jimmy Garrison and Elvin Jones took days off from Coltrane's vortex to work hard bop dates.

Lee Morgan's Gigolo is a great example of great playing outside the avant storm. This is blues based jazz with fantastic playing.

All the passion and fire of the best hard bop is here-this is no run through. Some of the playing, particuallarly the panio, is just a little more harmonically open than it may have been five or ten years earlier, and this only increases the dynamic tension of the music.

Gigolo is not the cutting edge of jazz, but it is some of the best of any era.

A trumpeter friend of mine recommended this album with Cornbread when I asked him for two Lee Morgan recommendations. After listening to Lee Morgan's work at 19 on Coltrane's Blue Train album, I have been a big fan. Every track on The Gigolo is solid. I highly recommend it.

Lee Morgan was one the greats in the great Jazz era of the 50's and 60's. During this period he clearly demonstrated how great he was by being such a prolific artist with consistently stand out or highly rated records. "Candy, Sidewinder, Search for the New Land, Cornbread and the Gigolo are just a few to name. Also, besides being one of the most exciting trumpeters (never boring) he was able to write many worthy songs.

On this set he swings throughout and has some outstanding support. Special mention must go to Billy Higgins who never misses a beat and is a part of so many of the great records of the era.

This album was released in 1965. The same year I was born. It was around and I was around, and we somehow kept missing each other. I chose other albums over this one and yet it kept waiting...waiting...just like beauty tends to do...it kept waiting for me to finally notice it.

I was in a used record store in Santa Barbara on my honeymoon. And there it was...I picked it up and being incredibly psychic as well deeply intuitive, I knew I had to have it, and as soon as I played it the connection was complete.

What an awesome compilation of music. It just blows me away with each and every listen. It is so sad to me that seven short years after this was recorded, Lee Morgan was murdered. You can kill the body, but you can never kill the spirit...the soul...the passion of a person and you will definitely hear Morgan's soul and spirit throughout this recording. It will haunt you for days, weeks, years and make you reach for it even when think that you might want to hear something else. Trust me man, you really don't...beauty knows...it always knows...

This is an album that shouldn't just be considered for fans of jazz, but I feel that it's an album for people who appreciate music. I have a friend who is into "speed metal" of all things and he listened to this and thought it was one of the greatest things he ever heard. Is he still listening to "speed metal"? Unfortunately, yes...but he's now open to music that goes past surface level awareness and touches the hem of the soul only to be restored to wholeness/to holiness.

This album is calling you...I know it is...and it will patiently wait until you finally decide to become one with it.

Peace & Blessings...