Lee Morgan - Tomcat

[mjzee]

The only thing that would have made it better is if they had listed McCoy Tyner as "Etc."

[sidewinder]

I've got that one in the vinyl edition from Music Matters !

The new Grant Green 'Matador' cover looks pretty cool too.

[CJ Shearn]

Great cover! The only thing that's slightly off is the Blue Note logo itself because they are using the '59-62 era version with the numbers in the center.

[take5]

The discs itself sounds great, too, worth the upgrade from the old CD I had.

[bertrand]

How is the last track spelled on this version, and who do they give composer credit to?

Thanks,

Bertrand.

Edited August 7, 2010 by bertrand

[six string]

If you're speaking of Riggarmortes the Music Matters reissue lists the composer as Morgan on the record label and this is how its spelled.

[Swinging Swede]

The new Grant Green 'Matador' cover looks pretty cool too.

But why a new cover for this?

[J.A.W.]

How is the last track spelled on this version, and who do they give composer crrdit to?

Thanks,

Bertrand.

If you're speaking of Riggarmortes the Music Matters reissue lists the composer as Morgan on the record label and this is how its spelled.

On my 1990 Blue Note CD reissue (84446-2) it's spelt "Rigormortis" (one word, while it's actually two words) and M. Levy, H. Glover and J. Dell are listed as composers.

[JSngry]

As in Morris Levy, Henry Glover, & ????

That's a pie with some fingers in it...

[bertrand]

Morgan is the composer.

The other thing is a Blue Note fuck-up because somebody didn't do their copyright search correctly.

There is a lead sheet for 'Rigormortis' at LC by Glover, Morris and Joey Dee (not Dell), i.e. the Starlighters guy. It has nothing to do with Lee's tune which is copyrighted as 'Riggar Mortes' (or maybe just one word). The Levy thing is some lame rip-off of Chopin's 'Funeral March.'

Bertrand.

[CJ Shearn]

Are those new versions of "Matador" and "Solid" going to be released on CD? I think "Tomcat" is out as an XRCD now.

[DMP]

Not sure about "Riggarmortes," but maybe Nat Adderley could have received a co-composer credit for "Twice Around."

[Cliff Englewood]

The new Grant Green 'Matador' cover looks pretty cool too.

But why a new cover for this?

Those two are very cool indeed.

[Tom Cat]

tom cat! nice cover i liked grant green solid as well

[bertrand]

What Nat Adderley tune is 'Twice Around' inspired by?

Thanks,

Bertrand.

Edited August 21, 2010 by bertrand

[Shawn]

Twice Around reminds me more of The Jazztet than Adderley (unless I'm missing a specific tune).

[jazzbo]

Personally, I'm not that impressed by any of those covers.

[Kevin Bresnahan]

I was in Bull Moose Music the other day and I found a cheap(er) copy of the XRCD of Morgan's "Tomcat" so I figured I would give it another try. I've had the Ron McMaster CD for years but rarely listen to it.

The sound is very good, much better than the old McMaster CD and if it's a favorite of yours, I would definitely recommend it.

Unfortunately, this date has never been a favorite of mine. I never bought into the whole "this sat on the shelf because Blue Note wanted Morgan to get out another Sidewinder" stuff. I always felt Jackie McLean was really off on this date. He has a few flubs in almost every solo, even blowing some obnoxious clams in 3 of the 5 tunes. The playing just sounds loose to my ears. Even Lee seems blasé, often getting behind the beat by more than usual and doing that half-valving stuff all the time. It's almost like he's running out of ideas. Tyner and Blakey keep the date going and for their playing alone, the CD is a keeper. But I doubt it'll get into the player before many of Lee's other dates.

Given what I've read about Alfred Lion's standards, I think it's more likely that the overall level of play held this session back rather than a need for another "Sidewinder".

[DMP]

It's "Work Song."

[Dmitry]

Personally, I'm not that impressed by any of those covers.

I'm with you, Lon. These covers have little or nothing to do with their issued contemporaries. At least they are not offensively-bad and/or in terribly poor taste.

[Rooster_Ties]

Are these new covers by Patrick Roques?

I've generally really liked most of Patrick's "homage to classic BN covers", but I'll confess I'm finding these a little 'meh'.

Certainly not "bad" to the point of offense, but what must surely be a reorientation of the source pic on the new Matador cover seems a little not true to form -- and I'm not much of a fan of pics of people blowing smoke (i.e. the new Solid). I guess the Tom Cat is OK, but maybe the colors seem a little stronger than usual for BN.

Or maybe I got up on the wrong side of the bed today, who knows.

[JSngry]

I got no problem with this one, myself:

[Kevin Bresnahan]

I got no problem with this one, myself:

God Jim, I forgot about that one! Looks like the tom cat barfed up a fur ball.

[JSngry]

That Tom Cat looks like a Devil Cat!

[Kevin Bresnahan]

That Tom Cat looks like a Devil Cat!

Actually, it looks like the original Hello Kitty.