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It is just such a democratic unit, a jazz unit, if it is done right. Each one has a voice. There is a central theme and you make a whole. It is such a sharing thing. It is such a community. Can you imagine if the whole world was run on these principles? It is a dangerous philosophy in a way.
- Sathima Bea Benjamin |
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 Thursday, 08 January 2009 |
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Frank Morgan Quintet at Catalina’s, August 17-20 |
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Written by Andrea Canter, Contributing Editor
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Friday, 04 August 2006 |
“There is no one around who is better
on the alto saxophone. What comes out of his horn is soulful, full of
fire and timeless”—Wynton Marsalis.
 Frank Morgan © Andrea Canter
Frank Morgan’s
energetic alto belies his 70+ years and three decades of heroin
addiction. His comeback in the 1980s to the highest level of burning
bop was nothing short of remarkable. The son of Ink Spots guitarist
Stanley Morgan was born in Minneapolis, moved to Milwaukee at age six,
and studied guitar as a young child. He was inspired to switch
instruments at age seven after hearing Charlie Parker with the Jay
McShann Band. Through his father, he was able to meet Parker who
suggested that young Morgan start out on the clarinet. Said
Morgan, “I was a little mad with Bird, because I wanted to play
saxophone. I didn't understand that he thought he was getting me off to
a proper start…It proved to be a blessing, insofar as I was able to
develop a clarinet technique that has carried over into my saxophone
playing." Within a couple years, Morgan had moved on to soprano and
then alto sax.
At age fourteen, his family moved to Los Angeles where his father
opened a club, Casablanca. Charlie Parker was a frequent performer, and
the alto star took a great interest in the teenage Morgan—and Morgan
found Parker of great interest, both as a musician and heroin addict.
“I thought the heroin and the bebop and the whole lifestyle thing went
together. I thought that one used heroin to play like Charlie Parker
played.” Morgan played in bop bands on Central Avenue in the
early 1950s, recording with Teddy Charles and Kenny Clarke, as well as
with his own band for GNP. The critics raved about his debut release,
declaring him the successor to long-time acquaintance and muse, Charlie
Parker. Parker died shortly thereafter, and with some of his band
members, Morgan “proceeded…to celebrate Bird's death by doing the very
thing that killed him. That's the way we celebrated Bird's passing, to
go out and do some junk. It would have been better if we'd realized it
was time to stop.”
 Frank Morgan © Andrea Canter
Thirty years went by before Frank Morgan made another recording as
leader; in the interim he unfortunately followed too closely in the
footsteps of his idol, experiencing heroin addiction and intermittent
jail terms for possession. But he never stopped playing for long, and
even in prison he was able to hone his craft. "The greatest big band I
ever played with was in San Quentin. Art Pepper and I were proud of
that band…We played every Saturday night for what they called a
Warden's Tour, which showed paying visitors only the cleanest cell
blocks and exercise yards. But people would take that tour just to hear
the band.” With his 1985 comeback recording
Easy Living, Contemporary), Frank
Morgan proved to be a descendent, not clone of Charlie Parker, with a
more personal bop style than he had demonstrated earlier. Noted Gary
Giddens in the Village Voice (1986),
“Morgan's alto sound is supple and lyrical in a way that recalls Benny
Carter almost as much as Parker. His tone is fuller in the lower notes
than on top, and it can be prim and dry, which makes his frequent use
of pinched high notes to pace himself and increase tension all the more
effective.”
Since his resurgence, Frank Morgan has recorded and toured with
seemingly boundless energy, releasing 15 recordings over the next
decade. After a serious stroke in 1996, Morgan’s recordings were on
hold until he released
City Nights
(HighNote, 2004) with pianist George Cables, bassist Curtis Lundy and
drummer Billy Hart. This first volume recorded live at Jazz Standard
showed Morgan to be on top of his horn and still evolving, taking on
Miles, Monk, and Coltrane, and creating more space in his arrangements.
Noted Florence Wetzel (All About Jazz),
“It's 64 minutes of pure delight, jazz at its classic best played by a
living master.” Morgan came back a year later with
Raising the Standard (volume 2),
and now this summer has released Reflections with Ronnie Matthews,
Essiet Essiet, and Billy Hart. His energy seems boundless.
Frank Morgan and his quintet will play at Catalina’s (6725 West Sunset
Blvd) in LA, August 17-20. For reservations, visit
www.catalinajazzclub.com.
Morgan goes home to Minneapolis for a one
night, duet gig with pianist Ronnie Matthews, August 22; see
www.dakotacooks.com
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