Sonic Boom (Lee Morgan album)

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.

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.".^[1]

Track listing

1. "Sneaky Pete" - 5:47
2. "The Mercenary" - 7:11
3. "Sonic Boom" - 6:18
4. "Fathead" - 5:27
5. "I'll Never Be the Same" (Kahn, Malneck, Signorelli) - 7:16
6. "Mumbo Jumbo" - 5:28
7. "Free Flow" (Coleman) 4:50 Bonus track on CD reissue
8. "Stormy Weather" - (Arlen, Koehler) - 5:42 Bonus track on CD reissue
9. "Mr. Johnson" (Mabern) - 6:08 Bonus track on CD reissue
10. "The Stroker" (Priester) - 5:47 Bonus track on CD reissue
11. "Uncle Rough" (Mabern) - 5:33 Bonus track on CD reissue
12. "Claw-Til-Da" (Roker) - 3:06 Bonus track on CD reissue
13. "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 Morgan - trumpet
• David Newman - tenor saxophone (tracks 1-4 & 6-7)
• Cedar Walton - piano (tracks 1-7)
• Ron Carter - bass (tracks 1-7)
• Billy Higgins - drums (tracks 1-7)
• Julian Priester - trombone (tracks 8-13)
• George Coleman - tenor saxophone (tracks 8-13)
• Harold Mabern - piano (tracks 8-13)
• Walter Booker - bass (tracks 8-13)
• Mickey Roker - drums (tracks 8-13)

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).

References