Customer Reviews

Sidewinder

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Lee Morgan, Joe Henderson, Barry Harris, Bob Crenshaw, and Billy Higgins come together to help create one of Hard-bop's finest moments in time. With provocative phrasing and innovative technique Morgan shows why he is the best in Hard-bop trumpeting. Picking up where he left off in the Jazz messengers, Morgan continues to bring the blues influence back to the foreground in Jazz. In the tracks "Gary's Notebook", "Boy, What A Night", and "Hocus Pocus" Morgan defines what was to be known as the Hard-bop sound. Easily one the ten best Jazz albms of all time. An essential album in every Jazz fan's collection.

This album is a must for anyone who likes jazz and good music in general. Lee Morgan gives the personality of his trumpet to the tracks and the sound of the album is so exciting. The track of the title is impressive, but the pearl of the album is Totem Pole.

If you want to hit the mark buying a jazz album, this is your purchase. It won't dissapoint you, rather on the contrary, you'll think you should've never missed this.

The Sidewinder is a catchy funk tune which captured popularity and recognition for Morgan. Looking beyond the title track, Totem Pole is treasure for rhythmic interaction between all of the players. Gary's Notebook has a superb Joe Henderson solo which I have found to be worthwhile to transcribe. Intriguing enough for the conoisseur, yet assecible enough for anybody, this is an excellent addition to any library

For my money, The Sidewinder was recorded during the Golden Age of Jazz, and this album is pure gold. Lee Morgan is so under-appreciated at a trumpet player. He had great songs, incredible sidemen, and played with a wide open style that had such drive.

On this disc, every other musician is just incredible. Joe Henderson deserves special credit, but they are all so synced up in a deep, deep groove that it is impossible not to give this music your full attention.

I prefer The Gigolo slightly more, but if you buy both The Sidewinder and The Gigolo, you will have purchase two of the 50 best jazz albums of all time.

CLASSIC BLUE NOTE ALBUM FROM LEE MORGAN IN THE MID 1960'S. EARLIER I HAD REVIEWED ANOTHER LEE MORGAN FROM THE 1960'S "DELIGHTFULEE MORGAN", AND DID NOT GIVE IT A GREAT REVIEW. THIS ALBUM IS MUCH, MUCH BETTER, IT IS EVERYTHING THAT ALBUM IS NOT. IF YOU WANT TO HEAR LEE MORGAN RIGHT AT THE TOP OF HIS GAME, THEN BUY THIS ALBUM, YOU WILL LOVE IT. GREAT JAZZ, WHAT YOU WOULD EXPECT FROM A BLUE NOTE RECORD FROM THE 60'S. BTW, JOE HENDERSON IS AWESOME ON THIS RECORDING AS WELL, ESPECIALLY ON THE FIRST TRACK (YOU CAN HEAR A LOT OF COLTRANE INFLUENCE IN HIS PLAYING).

The great songs and artists can only be judged by their ability to stand up to the whims of time. Sidewinder is a classic song and this disc is filled with crisp renditions that are as exciting now as when I heard them 35 years ago. Anyone who likes jazz needs to have this album. The only downer: having two takes of Totem Pole in a row. Although, I admit I didn't notice it until the third time playing the disc. Big, Fat sound. This isn't for romancing, this is for jivin'. If you are new to Jazz, this disc will set you on the right track for figuring out who is good and who was just lucky enough to make a record.

Classic title track, Joe Henderson on sax, what more could one ask for? Proto-type bop album should appeal to fans old and new.

Like the great Sam Cooke, trumpet maestro Lee Morgan had the rare and unenviable distinction of being shot dead by a woman - in Morgan's case by his common-law wife Helen More, as he was preparing to start his set at Slugs Jazz Club in NYC in February 1972. So ended the short life of one of Jazz's most creative talents at the tragically young age of 33.

The Sidewinder is of course a species of rattlesnake. This December 1963 recording is generally regarded as Morgan's most accessible work, and something of a minor (some might say major) jazz classic essential to any serious collection. With Joe Henderson - who worked as Morgan's sideman for many years - on sax and the capable Barry Harris on piano, backed by Bob Cranshaw on bass and Billy Higgins on drums, the quintet belts out some fine up-tempo numbers most of which have a 4/4 beat, so often appeal to people who don't normally like or listen to jazz but prefer more rhythmic danceable sounds. The interplay between Morgan and Henderson in particular is really first-rate and way beyond anything found in boogaloo or R&B music of the period: this makes `The Sidewinder' a kind of crossover jazz album with wide appeal.

Five long-ish tracks (two of more than 10 minutes' each) are complemented on the modern remix by an alternative take of `Totem Pole', the album's second great composition after the title track. All the music was composed by the talented and prolific 25-year old Morgan, and the title track achieved great popular success when released as a single.

Unlike Miles' minimalist, super-cool and clean sound or Trane's adventurous cerebral stream-of-consciousness playing, Morgan's trademark sound is upbeat, happy and enjoyable, and this is definitely a repeat-play album which gets better each time you hear it.

An unexpected hit for the late trumpeter, Lee Morgan, "The Sidewinder" also brought him great popularity. Also it's the first time I heard the great Joe Henderson on disc also and a great solo it is ranking second to his "Song for My Father" side as well. I heard that pianist Barry Harris was the one who suggested the rhythms to Lee so I think credit should be shared with him as well for the success of this track as well. The other tunes are of course basically hard-bop with the standouts being "Totem Pole" and "Hocus-Pocus". The late recently departed Freddie Hubbard once noted while playing with Lee that the crowd automatically responded to him more than Hubbard's technical displays of prowess. I have to admit after having listened to both trumpeters in person that even though Hubbard had more technique than Lee, that Morgan's tone was warmer and very bluesy which made audiences. For a demonstration of the differences in techniques, check out "The Night of the Cookers". Anyway if you want to start a Lee Morgan collection, you can't go wrong with this or "Search for the New Land".

Lee Morgan and the rest of the players on this album put on a fabulous display, proving why they all should be more recognized in the mainstream jazz market. This album will be enjoyed by jazz connosoeurs and novices alike; my sister-who owns only 2 other jazz albums-bought "Sidewinder" after one listen. This is a can't miss album, and one of Morgan's finest.