description The Sidewinder – Lee Morgan Overview
Released in 1963, *The Sidewinder* is a seminal hard bop album featuring trumpeter Lee Morgan and his Los Angeles Windmill Orchestra, showcasing a distinctive blend of bluesy melodies and complex arrangements that solidified Morgan’s place in the genre.
help The Sidewinder – Lee Morgan FAQ
Who plays on Lee Morgan's The Sidewinder?
The classic Blue Note session features Lee Morgan on trumpet, Joe Henderson on tenor saxophone, Barry Harris on piano, Bob Cranshaw on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums. It was recorded at Rudy Van Gelder's studio in Englewood Cliffs on December 21, 1963.
Why did The Sidewinder become Lee Morgan's crossover hit?
The title track has a funky 24-bar groove that worked outside the usual hard bop audience. It even reached the Billboard Hot 100 in the mid-1960s, which was unusual for a Blue Note jazz single.
Is The Sidewinder more hard bop or soul jazz?
It sits between hard bop and soul jazz. Morgan keeps the Blue Note improvising language, but the title tune's bluesy dance feel made it more accessible than many straight-ahead jazz records of the period.
What Lee Morgan album should come after The Sidewinder?
Search for the New Land is the natural next stop because it was recorded soon after The Sidewinder but has a more spacious, exploratory mood. Cornbread is another strong pick if you want Morgan's later Blue Note hard bop sound.
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