In the early 1970s trumpeter Lee Morgan was striking out in new directions, incorporating elements of modality, free jazz, and fusion into his music. Tragically, his life and career were cut short when he was shot to death at the age of 33 by his longtime lover in a New York City jazz bar. We’ll hear music from Morgan’s final Blue Note album, as well as selections from his last recording date (with organist Charles Earland, done just two days before Morgan’s death) and the 1970 album Live at the Lighthouse. In addition, we’ll hear an account from a jazz fan who was present at the bar the night that Morgan was killed.
Music Heard On This Episode
Miss D.D.
Mary Lou Williams — Black Christ of the Andes (Smithsonian Folkways, 1964)
