Frank Morgan (musician)

Frank Morgan (December 23, 1933 - December 14, 2007) was a jazz saxophonist with a career spanning more than 50 years. [1]

He mainly played alto saxophone but also played soprano saxophone. During the 1950s he was known as a Charlie Parker successor and recorded several bebop albums.

Morgan's father was a guitarist with the vocal group The Ink Spots. Frank was playing guitar until seven when taken to see Charlie Parker play. Parker suggested starting with clarinet which he did for two years before switching to sax. He moved to California at age of 14 and started taking heroin at 17, subsequently became addicted and ended up spending time in Californian prisons. Formed a small ensemble at San Quentin prison in the 1960s with another addict and sax player, Art Pepper. (Source Marian McPartland interview with Frank Morgan.)

The Frank Morgan Quartet featured Dolo Coker on piano, Flip Greene on bass and Larance Marable on drums.

In 1985 he started recording again, releasing Easy Living in June 1985. He suffered a stroke in 1998, but subsequently recovered and recorded additional albums.

Discography

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