Lee Morgan Rumproller

As a follow-up to his unexpected hit, The Sidewinder, (1964) Lee Morgan recorded Andrew Hill's The Rumproller. While the commercial success may not have been on par with his previous effort, musically, it's one of his best. The title track is based on a groove held firmly in place by drummer Billy Higgins, and features a great solo by tenor man Joe Henderson. The other tunes are all exemplary hard bop, with strong tunes by Morgan and Wayne Shorter. Pianist Ronnie Matthews plays with just the right amount of funk on "Desert Moonlight." On the spry "Eclipso," the quintet starts with a variation of the bossa nova, then slips into a calypso theme. "The Lady" is a touching ballad, with Morgan making a rare appearance on muted trumpet.