Sonic Boom (Lee Morgan album)
Encyclopedia
Sonic Boom is an album
by jazz
trumpeter Lee Morgan
released on the Blue Note
label. It was recorded on April 14 & 28 1967 with the CD reissue adding tracks recorded on September 12 & October 10, 1969 which were first released on the original double LP edition of The Procrastinator
. The album now includes performances by Morgan with two line-ups. The first features David Newman, Cedar Walton
, Ron Carter
and Billy Higgins
and the second with Julian Priester
, George Coleman
, Harold Mabern
, Walter Booker
and Mickey Roker
.
Tracks 1-7 featured an impressive rhythm section of Cedar Walton
, Ron Carter
and Billy Higgins
. This group first recorded together on Hank Mobley
's 1967 Blue Note
release Far Away Lands (May 26, 1967, Blue Note BST 84425). A few months earlier Lee had recorded with Mobley, Walton and longtime Morgan collaborator, Higgins, on Mobley's Third Season (February 24, 1967, Blue Note LT 1081). Sonic Boom marked Lee's first recorded session with David "Fathead" Newman. The only other recording featuring those two horns is organist Dr. Lonnie Smith
's 1968 Blue Note release Think!
(July 23, 1968, Blue Note BST 84290, CDP 7 84290-2). The playing relationship of Morgan and Cedar Walton spanned from their involvement with the early 1960s version of Art Blakey
's Jazz Messengers, through many subsequent Morgan releases. Both appeared on Joe Henderson
's Mode for Joe
(January 27, 1966, Blue Note BLP 4227, BST 84227 & CDP 7 84227-2).
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
by jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
trumpeter Lee Morgan
Lee Morgan
Edward Lee Morgan was an American hard bop trumpeter.-Biography:...
released on the Blue Note
Blue Note Records
Blue Note Records is a jazz record label, established in 1939 by Alfred Lion and Max Margulis. Francis Wolff became involved shortly afterwards. It derives its name from the characteristic "blue notes" of jazz and the blues. At the end of the 1950s, and in the early 1960s, Blue Note headquarters...
label. It was recorded on April 14 & 28 1967 with the CD reissue adding tracks recorded on September 12 & October 10, 1969 which were first released on the original double LP edition of The Procrastinator
The Procrastinator
The Procrastinator is an album by jazz trumpeter Lee Morgan released on the Blue Note label. It was recorded on July 14, 1967 and features performances by Morgan, Wayne Shorter, Bobby Hutcherson, Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter and Billy Higgins.-Reception:...
. The album now includes performances by Morgan with two line-ups. The first features David Newman, Cedar Walton
Cedar Walton
Cedar Anthony Walton, Junior is an American hard bop jazz pianist.-Biography:Walton grew up in Dallas, Texas. His mother was an aspiring concert pianist, and was Walton's initial teacher. She also took him to jazz performances around Dallas...
, Ron Carter
Ron Carter
Ron Carter is an American jazz double-bassist. His appearances on over 2,500 albums make him one of the most-recorded bassists in jazz history, along with Milt Hinton, Ray Brown and Leroy Vinnegar. Carter is also an acclaimed cellist who has recorded numerous times on that...
and Billy Higgins
Billy Higgins
Billy Higgins was an American jazz drummer. He played mainly free jazz and hard bop.Higgins was born in Los Angeles, California. Higgins played on Ornette Coleman's first records, beginning in 1958...
and the second with Julian Priester
Julian Priester
Julian Priester is an American jazz trombonist and composer.He has played with many artists including Sun Ra, Max Roach, Duke Ellington, John Coltrane and Herbie Hancock.-Biography:...
, George Coleman
George Coleman
George Edward Coleman is an American hard bop saxophonist, bandleader, and composer, known chiefly for his work with Miles Davis and Herbie Hancock in the 1960s.-Biography:...
, Harold Mabern
Harold Mabern
Harold Mabern is a hard bop and soul jazz pianist.Early in his career, Mabern played in Chicago with Walter Perkins' MJT + 3 in the late 1950s before moving to New York in 1959. Mabern has worked with Jimmy Forrest, Lionel Hampton, the Jazztet , Donald Byrd, Miles Davis , J. J...
, Walter Booker
Walter Booker
Walter Booker was an American jazz musician. A native of Prairie View, Texas, Booker was a reliable bass player and an underrated stylist. His playing was marked by voice-like inflections, glissandos and tremolo techniques.-Biography:Booker moved with his family to Washington, D.C. in the mid 1940s...
and Mickey Roker
Mickey Roker
Granville "Mickey" Roker is an American jazz drummer. Roker was born into extreme poverty in Miami to Granville and Willie Mae Roker...
.
Reception
The Allmusic review by awarded the album 4½ stars stating "Despite the great differences in approach, these two sessions complement each other well; Morgan fans would be well advised to snag this one before Blue Note yanks it from the catalog once more.".Track listing
- "Sneaky Pete" - 5:47
- "The Mercenary" - 7:11
- "Sonic Boom" - 6:18
- "Fathead" - 5:27
- "I'll Never Be the Same" (KahnGus KahnGustav Gerson Kahn was a musician, songwriter and lyricist.-Biography:Kahn was born in Koblenz, Germany in 1886. The family emigrated from there to the United States and moved to Chicago, Illinois in 1890...
, MalneckMatty MalneckMatty Malneck was an American jazz violinist, violist and songwriter.Malneck's first professional gigs as a violinist began when he was age 16. He worked with Paul Whiteman from 1926 to 1937, and also recorded in the same period with Frank Signorelli, Frankie Trumbauer, Bix Beiderbecke, and...
, SignorelliFrank SignorelliFrank Signorelli was an US jazz pianist of the 1920s. He was a founder member of the Original Memphis Five in 1917, then joined the Original Dixieland Jazz Band briefly in 1921. In 1927 he played in Adrian Rollini's New York ensemble, and subsequently worked with Eddie Lang, Bix Beiderbecke, Matty...
) - 7:16 - "Mumbo Jumbo" - 5:28
- "Free Flow" (Coleman) 4:50 Bonus track on CD reissue
- "Stormy Weather" - (ArlenHarold ArlenHarold Arlen was an American composer of popular music, having written over 500 songs, a number of which have become known the world over. In addition to composing the songs for The Wizard of Oz, including the classic 1938 song, "Over the Rainbow,” Arlen is a highly regarded contributor to the...
, KoehlerTed KoehlerTed L. Koehler was an American lyricist.-Life and career:Koehler was born in Washington, D.C. He started out as a photo-engraver but was attracted to the music business, where he started out as a theater pianist for silent films. He moved on to write for vaudeville shows and Broadway, and he also...
) - 5:42 Bonus track on CD reissue - "Mr. Johnson" (Mabern) - 6:08 Bonus track on CD reissue
- "The Stroker" (Priester) - 5:47 Bonus track on CD reissue
- "Uncle Rough" (Mabern) - 5:33 Bonus track on CD reissue
- "Claw-Til-Da" (Roker) - 3:06 Bonus track on CD reissue
- "Untitled Boogaloo" - 5:38 Bonus track on CD reissue
- All compositions by Lee Morgan except as indicated
- Recorded at Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, on April 14, 1967 (track 3), April 28, 1967 (tracks 1-2 & 3-6), and September 12, 1969 (tracks 8-9 & 13) & October 10, 1969 (tracks 7, 10, 11 & 12).
Personnel
- Lee MorganLee MorganEdward Lee Morgan was an American hard bop trumpeter.-Biography:...
- trumpet - David Newman - tenor saxophone (tracks 1-4 & 6-7)
- Cedar WaltonCedar WaltonCedar Anthony Walton, Junior is an American hard bop jazz pianist.-Biography:Walton grew up in Dallas, Texas. His mother was an aspiring concert pianist, and was Walton's initial teacher. She also took him to jazz performances around Dallas...
- piano (tracks 1-7) - Ron CarterRon CarterRon Carter is an American jazz double-bassist. His appearances on over 2,500 albums make him one of the most-recorded bassists in jazz history, along with Milt Hinton, Ray Brown and Leroy Vinnegar. Carter is also an acclaimed cellist who has recorded numerous times on that...
- bass (tracks 1-7) - Billy HigginsBilly HigginsBilly Higgins was an American jazz drummer. He played mainly free jazz and hard bop.Higgins was born in Los Angeles, California. Higgins played on Ornette Coleman's first records, beginning in 1958...
- drums (tracks 1-7) - Julian PriesterJulian PriesterJulian Priester is an American jazz trombonist and composer.He has played with many artists including Sun Ra, Max Roach, Duke Ellington, John Coltrane and Herbie Hancock.-Biography:...
- trombone (tracks 8-13) - George ColemanGeorge ColemanGeorge Edward Coleman is an American hard bop saxophonist, bandleader, and composer, known chiefly for his work with Miles Davis and Herbie Hancock in the 1960s.-Biography:...
- tenor saxophone (tracks 8-13) - Harold MabernHarold MabernHarold Mabern is a hard bop and soul jazz pianist.Early in his career, Mabern played in Chicago with Walter Perkins' MJT + 3 in the late 1950s before moving to New York in 1959. Mabern has worked with Jimmy Forrest, Lionel Hampton, the Jazztet , Donald Byrd, Miles Davis , J. J...
- piano (tracks 8-13) - Walter BookerWalter BookerWalter Booker was an American jazz musician. A native of Prairie View, Texas, Booker was a reliable bass player and an underrated stylist. His playing was marked by voice-like inflections, glissandos and tremolo techniques.-Biography:Booker moved with his family to Washington, D.C. in the mid 1940s...
- bass (tracks 8-13) - Mickey RokerMickey RokerGranville "Mickey" Roker is an American jazz drummer. Roker was born into extreme poverty in Miami to Granville and Willie Mae Roker...
- drums (tracks 8-13)
Tracks 1-7 featured an impressive rhythm section of Cedar Walton
Cedar Walton
Cedar Anthony Walton, Junior is an American hard bop jazz pianist.-Biography:Walton grew up in Dallas, Texas. His mother was an aspiring concert pianist, and was Walton's initial teacher. She also took him to jazz performances around Dallas...
, Ron Carter
Ron Carter
Ron Carter is an American jazz double-bassist. His appearances on over 2,500 albums make him one of the most-recorded bassists in jazz history, along with Milt Hinton, Ray Brown and Leroy Vinnegar. Carter is also an acclaimed cellist who has recorded numerous times on that...
and Billy Higgins
Billy Higgins
Billy Higgins was an American jazz drummer. He played mainly free jazz and hard bop.Higgins was born in Los Angeles, California. Higgins played on Ornette Coleman's first records, beginning in 1958...
. This group first recorded together on Hank Mobley
Hank Mobley
Henry Mobley was an American hard bop and soul jazz tenor saxophonist and composer. Mobley was described by Leonard Feather as the "middleweight champion of the tenor saxophone", a metaphor used to describe his tone that was neither as aggressive as John Coltrane nor as mellow as Stan Getz...
's 1967 Blue Note
Blue note
In jazz and blues, a blue note is a note sung or played at a slightly lower pitch than that of the major scale for expressive purposes. Typically the alteration is a semitone or less, but this varies among performers and genres. Country blues, in particular, features wide variations from the...
release Far Away Lands (May 26, 1967, Blue Note BST 84425). A few months earlier Lee had recorded with Mobley, Walton and longtime Morgan collaborator, Higgins, on Mobley's Third Season (February 24, 1967, Blue Note LT 1081). Sonic Boom marked Lee's first recorded session with David "Fathead" Newman. The only other recording featuring those two horns is organist Dr. Lonnie Smith
Lonnie Smith (jazz musician)
Dr. Lonnie Smith is a jazz Hammond B3 organist and pianist.-Biography:He was born in Lackawanna, New York, into a family with a vocal group and radio program. Smith says that his mother was a major influence on him musically, as she introduced him to gospel, classical, and jazz music...
's 1968 Blue Note release Think!
Think!
Think! may refer to:* "Think!", the 30-second music piece played during the Final Jeopardy! Round in the game show Jeopardy!* "Think!" , a 1977 short story by science fiction writer Isaac Asimov...
(July 23, 1968, Blue Note BST 84290, CDP 7 84290-2). The playing relationship of Morgan and Cedar Walton spanned from their involvement with the early 1960s version of Art Blakey
Art Blakey
Arthur "Art" Blakey , known later as Abdullah Ibn Buhaina, was an American Grammy Award-winning jazz drummer and bandleader. He was a member of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community....
's Jazz Messengers, through many subsequent Morgan releases. Both appeared on Joe Henderson
Joe Henderson
Joe Henderson was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. In a career spanning more than forty years Henderson played with many of the leading American players of his day and recorded for several prominent labels, including Blue Note.-Early life:From a very large family with five sisters and nine...
's Mode for Joe
Mode for Joe
Mode for Joe is the fifth studio album by American jazz saxophonist Joe Henderson, recorded and released in 1966. It would be the last Blue Note studio album to feature Henderson as a leader.- Track listing :...
(January 27, 1966, Blue Note BLP 4227, BST 84227 & CDP 7 84227-2).