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Description:
The most common reaction after hearing Lee Morgan’s Tom
Cat is “why on earth didn’t Blue Note release this
at the time!”. The great trumpeter, only 26 at the time
of this recording, and his all-star cast with Jackie McLean, Art
Blakey, Curtis Fuller and McCoy Tyner are a who's who of the mid-1960s
hard bop scene. Quite simply, this is one of Lee Morgans’
finest sessions. Even Blue Note owner Alfred Lion, when asked,
was hard pressed to understand why a session of this caliber was
held back. However Morgan was recording so frequently for Blue
Note during this era that several of his finest recordings were
lost in the shuffle as the label looked for another hit to rival
the massive success of Lee’s The Sidewinder. The reasons
are somewhat obscure but in any case, this classic outing sat
in the vaults as Blue Note slowly declined, became inactive and
by 1981 was reduced to being a reissue company focusing on its
past glories. With Morgan no longer around (having been shot in
1972 by a jealous lover while performing at Slugs night club in
NYC), it’s as if Lee Morgan is speaking from the grave,
pointing out future directions for younger musicians. This memorable,
innovative and soulful music is for many listeners one of Lee
Morgan’s best recordings.