I love the music and musical performance of Lee Morgan. At the ripe not quite so mature age of 22, I couldn't take pop music's takeover by disco, and after some searching, I discovered a love of jazz music.
One jazz label, in particular, that I latched onto was Blue Note, and that's where I encountered one Lee Morgan. From the first moment I heard him on vinyl I fell in love with his sound; Morgan could play effortlessly in a mellow sort of way, and yet I feel a sense of urgency in what I hear. (I read a review once in which it was suggested that when Lee Morgan played a solo, he played it as if it might be his last, and he wanted to leave us with a statement.)
Delving into Lee Morgan's history, I knew that his life had come to a tragic end when he was just 33 years old. I felt, however, I was lacking in details as to what led to his death.
In 2016, Swedish film writer/director Kasper Collin released "I Called Him Morgan," a beautiful and poignant portrayal of Lee Morgan's professional life that started as a sideman at age 18 to the great Dizzy Gillespie.
Morgan had a tremendous struggle with heroin that could have ruined not just his musical career but his personal future. An older woman who would eventually become Morgan's common-law wife, Helen Moore, entered Morgan's life and became all that he would need to get him back on his feet.This film pays great tribute to Moore's love for Morgan and her place in the more personal side of the New York jazz scene during the peak of Morgan's career. A falling out over Morgan's switching his attention to another woman would lead to his tragic end, however, and seriously effect the jazz community and Helen Moore's life.
The jazz enthusiast in me would perhaps beg for more musical performance, but I believe Collin gave us just enough that a young person with musical interests might explore Morgan's music and/or the genre known as jazz. What brings this documentary to life are the excerpts from a recorded interview with Morgan's wife Helen, filmed interviews with former band mates, and vivid black and white stills taken during both performances and leisure time. The band mates, in particular Wayne Shorter, express great affection for Lee Morgan. It's easy to sense the hurt that was felt when they lost Morgan at such an early age.
Jazz fans especially and film fans especially should be pleased with this documentary release. If you are found to be neither, I believe you will find "I Called Him Morgan" a fascinating film.
One jazz label, in particular, that I latched onto was Blue Note, and that's where I encountered one Lee Morgan. From the first moment I heard him on vinyl I fell in love with his sound; Morgan could play effortlessly in a mellow sort of way, and yet I feel a sense of urgency in what I hear. (I read a review once in which it was suggested that when Lee Morgan played a solo, he played it as if it might be his last, and he wanted to leave us with a statement.)
Delving into Lee Morgan's history, I knew that his life had come to a tragic end when he was just 33 years old. I felt, however, I was lacking in details as to what led to his death.
In 2016, Swedish film writer/director Kasper Collin released "I Called Him Morgan," a beautiful and poignant portrayal of Lee Morgan's professional life that started as a sideman at age 18 to the great Dizzy Gillespie.
Morgan had a tremendous struggle with heroin that could have ruined not just his musical career but his personal future. An older woman who would eventually become Morgan's common-law wife, Helen Moore, entered Morgan's life and became all that he would need to get him back on his feet.This film pays great tribute to Moore's love for Morgan and her place in the more personal side of the New York jazz scene during the peak of Morgan's career. A falling out over Morgan's switching his attention to another woman would lead to his tragic end, however, and seriously effect the jazz community and Helen Moore's life.
The jazz enthusiast in me would perhaps beg for more musical performance, but I believe Collin gave us just enough that a young person with musical interests might explore Morgan's music and/or the genre known as jazz. What brings this documentary to life are the excerpts from a recorded interview with Morgan's wife Helen, filmed interviews with former band mates, and vivid black and white stills taken during both performances and leisure time. The band mates, in particular Wayne Shorter, express great affection for Lee Morgan. It's easy to sense the hurt that was felt when they lost Morgan at such an early age.
Jazz fans especially and film fans especially should be pleased with this documentary release. If you are found to be neither, I believe you will find "I Called Him Morgan" a fascinating film.