Lee Morgan

“He had a fat, crisp tone, a good range, and he played with immense expressiveness and urgency—a style rooted in the inflexions of the blues, with slurred and bent notes, funky phrases, and great rhythmic momentum.” –Ian Carr re Lee Morgan, Jazz: The Rough Guide

One of jazz’ most prodigious and tragic figures, Lee Morgan was considered by many to be the pre-eminent bop trumpeter of the 1960s. As a teen sideman for John Coltrane and leader in his own right, Morgan was the acclaimed successor to Clifford Brown, beginning professional gigs around his native Philadelphia at age 15, shortly after Brown’s death. By 18 he was playing with Dizzy Gillespie, was on the front line for Coltrane’s Blue Train in 1957, recorded two hit Blue Note sides as a leader shortly thereafter, and soon joined Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers. In 1963, he released his biggest hit, “The Sidewinder.” All together, Lee Morgan recorded over 30 albums in his short 33 years, a life that ended violently on a New York club stage at the hand of his common-law wife.

The 70th birthday and legacy of Lee Morgan will be celebrated at the Iridium in Manhattan, August 14-17 with an all-star cast assembled by trumpeter/arranger David Weiss. Featuring two saxophonists who performed with Morgan, Bennie Maupin and Billy Harper, the musicians at the Iridium also include pianists Geri Allen (August 14 and 17) and George Cables (August 15-16); bassist Dwayne Burno, and drummers Billy Hart (August 14 and 17) and Lenny White (August 15-16). Special guest trumpeters include Jeremy Pelt (August 14 and 17) and Eddie Henderson (August 15-16).

Jeremy Pelt

Trumpeter Eddie Henderson took a lesson from Louis Armstrong at age nine and gigged with Miles Davis at 17, but completed medical school and practiced medicine for a decade before turning his attention more fully to music. He played with Herbie Hancock’s Mwandishi Band, and worked with Joe Henderson, Pharoah Sanders and Art Blakey, becoming a popular fusion artist through the 1980s. Still practicing psychiatry, Henderson turned again to acoustic hard bop in the 1990s, touring with Billy Harper among others.

Billy Harper

Bennie Maupin is best known for his work with Herbie Hancock and his bass clarinet contributions to Miles Davis’ Bitches Brew. The Detroit native moved to New York in the early 60s where he played with Roy Haynes, McCoy Tyner, Horace Silver, Woody Shaw and Lee Morgan. After recording with Miles, he joined Herbie Hancock’s Sextet, moving on as the lone holdover to The Headhunters. Experiencing a low profile as a bandleader over the past twenty years, Maupin recently returned to the limelight with the release of Penumbra in 2006.

Geri Allen

Native New Yorker George Cables attended the “Fame” high school (High School of the Performing Arts) in Manhattan as a classically trained pianist. But he was soon inspired by such pianists at Herbie Hancock and Chick Corea, as well as by the giants of the time, Miles Davis and John Coltrane. After attending the Manhattan School of Music for two years and brief stints with Max Roach and Art Blakey, he moved to the West Coast and toured with Sonny Rollins. His reputation grew as he worked with Joe Henderson, Freddie Hubbard, Woody Shaw, Bobby Hutcherson, Dexter Gordon and Art Pepper. Most recently he has worked with the late Frank Morgan and released a double solo recording. 

Goeroge Cables©George Wells

Bassist Dwayne Burno started out on violin in his native Philadelphia, switching to acoustic bass in high school. His first major gig was with Donald Harrison, followed by a term with the great Betty Carter. He has played sideman to a long list of jazz artists, but has also proven his chops as composer and arranger, and as leader of his own quintet. 

Considered one of the founding fathers of jazz/rock fusion, drummer Lenny White grew up in New York City where he taught himself to play drums. His earliest professional gigs were with Jackie McLean in the late 1960s. In 1969, he appeared on Miles Davis' Bitches' Brew and soon after with Freddie Hubbard on Red Clay before joining Corea's Return to Forever and Azteca in 1972. After RTF disbanded, he formed the group Twennynine. Over his career, White has played with Joe Henderson, Woody Shaw, Gato Barbieri, Gil Evans, Jaco Pastorius, Stan Getz and Buster Williams.

One of the unsung stars of modern jazz drumming, Billy Hart has appeared on over 600 recordings of the likes of Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Stan Getz, Michael Brecker, and Joe Lovano. A native of Washington, DC, he was the drummer for the Herbie Hancock Sextet, followed by stints with McCoy Tyner and Stan Getz in the mid to late 70s. Throughout the 80s, Hart played with the bands of Gerry Mulligan, Billy Harper, Clark Terry, Mingus Dynasty, and particularly with Quest; he worked with Charles Lloyd, Joe Lovano and Tom Harrell in the 90s and backed the Three Tenors (Liebman, Lovano and Michael Brecker). He continues his active career as performer and jazz educator.

Billy Hart©Andrea Canter

Winner of the prestigious Chamber Music America Doris Duke Jazz Ensembles Project: New Works Creation and Presentation grant and Downbeat Critics “Rising Star Arranger” award, David Weiss studied trumpet at North Texas State University before returning to his native New York City to play with Jaki Byard, Frank Foster and Jimmy Heath.  His arranging skills brought him to projects with such artists as Abbey Lincoln and Phil Woods (Alto Legacy) and a Rashaan Roland Kirk Tribute (Haunted Melodies), and as arranger for a series of tributes to great trumpeters at Birdland. Weiss formed the New York Jazz Composers Octet in 1996 (as trumpeter,composer and arranger), described in the New York Times as “the sound of the new jazz mainstream.” Weiss continues to tour with the octet, his own sextet, and Freddie Hubbard.

The Iridium is located at 1650 Broadway at 51st Street in Manhattan. Full schedule and reservations at www.iridiumjazzclub.com. Sets at 8:30 and 10:30 pm.