The Cooker is an album by American jazz trumpeter Lee Morgan recorded on September 29, 1957, and released on Blue Note in January 1958.[1] The quintet features saxophonist Pepper Adams and rhythm section Bobby Timmons, Paul Chambers and Philly Joe Jones.
| The Cooker | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | January 1958[1] | |||
| Recorded | September 29, 1957 | |||
| Studio | Van Gelder Studio Hackensack, NJ | |||
| Genre | Hard bop | |||
| Length | 38:51 | |||
| Label | Blue Note BLP 1578 | |||
| Producer | Alfred Lion | |||
| Lee Morgan chronology | ||||
| ||||
Background
editRecording and composition
editRecorded and released while Morgan was still just nineteen years old, The Cooker is the first album to feature his own original compositions, as well as the first without any compositions written by Benny Golson.[2]
Style
editThe Cooker is considered a demonstration of Morgan's early bebop virtuosity, with its frequent double time improvisational lines.[3][4] It is also noted for performance trademarks which would later come to typify Morgan's style, such as clipped notes, upward slurs, half-valving, and triple-tonguing.[3]
Reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [5] |
| The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide | [6] |
The AllMusic review by Scott Yanow states, "Morgan plays remarkably well for his age (already ranking just below Dizzy Gillespie and Miles Davis), making this an essential acquisition."[5]
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "A Night in Tunisia" | 9:24 | |
| 2. | "Heavy Dipper" | Morgan | 7:05 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Just One of Those Things" | Cole Porter | 7:18 |
| 2. | "Lover Man" |
| 6:50 |
| 3. | "New-Ma" | Morgan | 8:14 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6. | "Just One of Those Things" (alternate take) | Porter | 7:50 |
Personnel
editMusicians
edit- Lee Morgan – trumpet
- Pepper Adams – baritone saxophone
- Bobby Timmons – piano
- Paul Chambers – bass
- Philly Joe Jones – drums
Technical personnel
edit- Alfred Lion – producer
- Rudy Van Gelder – recording engineer, mastering
- Reid Miles – design
- Francis Wolff – photography
- Robert Levin – liner notes
References
edit- ^ a b "January Album Releases" (PDF). The Cash Box. New York: The Cash Box Publishing Co. 18 January 1958. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
- ^ van de Linde, François (2019). "Lee Morgan The Cooker (Blue Note 1957)". Flophouse Magazine. flophousemagazine.com.
- ^ a b Chell, Samuel (2007). "Lee Morgan: The Cooker". All About Jazz. Elite CafeMedia. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
- ^ Waring, Charles (2018). "'The Cooker': How Lee Morgan Became Blue Note's Hottest Teen Star". uDiscoverMusic. uDiscover. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
- ^ a b Yanow, Scott Allmusic Review accessed September 27, 2011.
- ^ Swenson, J., ed. (1985). The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide. USA: Random House/Rolling Stone. p. 147. ISBN 0-394-72643-X.