Lee Morgan - Indeed

For years, the only Lee Morgan 50s session available as a single album was Candy (see my review). But now that the Mosaic set "The Complete Blue Note Lee Morgan Fifties Sessions" has sold out, and presumably the licensing contract has expired, all six original albums have finally been reissued in 2007 by the mother label, EMI. "Indeed" is indeed the trumpeter's first recording -- made on November 4, 1956, a day before "Introducing Lee Morgan," but the latter Savoy session made it to market first back in the day. "Indeed" is a quintet date featuring Lee, lesser known Clarence Sharpe on alto sax, Horace Silver on piano, Wilbur Ware on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums. It is a typical "blowing session" of the day, though the original compositions of Silver, Donald Byrd, Benny Golson and Owen Marshall (the latter two will contribute on Lee's next album Lee Morgan, Vol. 2 -- see my review) show that Alfred Lion went to great lengths to showcase his young star in a proper setting. For most, Lee Morgan doesn't hit his stride until his stint with the Jazz Messengers or even his landmark The Sidewinder, but "Indeed" is a great look at early Lee. By Michael B. Richman

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