Lee Morgan’s Search
For the New Land: Protest In Sheep’s Clothing
Dr. King’s last speech contained an ominous yet inspiring
expression.“I may not get there with you, but I want you to know that we as a
people will get to the promised land.” Everyone is searching for something. The
migration of early man out of Africa included a search at least for survival.
Human existence is tumultuous, trials and tribulations old folks say, and yet
it can be enriching and fulfilling. The desire to get to that point is in part
what the theme of Lee Morgan’s Search For The New Land speaks to. We are all
searching for the new land because this one is either too worn out or
overburdened with worry. Christianity
and Islam describe their search as the path to salvation while Buddhism suggests
enlightenment through meditation and animists prefer perfecting the spiritual
relationship between all living things and the universe.
This is a seminally important album from trumpeter Lee
Morgan. It is as important an album as Miles Davis’ Kind of Blue, but for
different reasons. Kind of Blue represented a different approach to composition
and arrangement as well as harmonic structure. In short it was purely
innovative and boundlessly influential. Search… on the other hand is a protest
album in sheep’s clothing, but it is also filled with extraordinary melodic and
harmonic sensitivity. Recorded in the climax of the civil rights movement
Morgan wrote all of the tunes around the time of the 1963 March on Washington.
The title tune, Search For the New Land, was likely written in response to Dr.
King’s I have a Dream speech and is suggestive of a timeless desire for the
betterment of humanity. It’s message is especially poignant today because,
quoting the title of a Bob Marley song there is “So Much Trouble In The World.”
Lee Morgan grew up in Philadelphia the child of a black middle
class family who exhibited exceptional talent for music at an early age. He
was, like pianist Herbie Hancock, a prodigy. Of course Morgan was influenced by
Louis Armstrong, Dizzy Gillespie and Miles, but also by Fats Navarro and
Clifford “Brownie” Brown. Morgan had always looked up to Brown and when the
opportunity came to meet his idol Morgan was especially enamored because Brown
took the time to engage the young trumpeter. They became best friends almost
immediately. Sadly and ironically both men died tragic deaths that were
uncharacteristic of the way they lived their lives. Brown died in horrific car accident
in 1956. He was only 26. Morgan died in 1972 from a gunshot at close range on
the bandstand in between sets at Slugs in New York’s East Village at the hand
of his estranged girlfriend/common law wife, Helen More. He was 33. Morgan did
have a heroin addiction that eroded his earnings and his relationship with his
wife Kiko (Kiko left Morgan sometime before More came into his life). You can’t
hear it in his music, but Morgan’s addiction had the best of him when he
recorded Search For The New Land. Morgan, and the rest of the jazz world was
devastated by the shock of Brownie’s death. Brown’s death may have had an
influence on Morgan’s use of heroin, but more importantly Morgan’s style and
approach to the phrasing of notes was heavily influenced by Brown’s trumpet
style. Morgan’s sound is readily identifiable filled with emotional honesty and
spiritually uplifting. His tenure with Art Blakey And The Jazz Messengers
always made for exhilarating performances. Blakey, sometimes described as a
fire breathing drummer, can be heard on many recordings squealing “play your
instrument” as Morgan’s notes sail through the air and enrapture the soul.
Search For The New Land is one of my favorite jazz albums.
Its sound is incredible and somehow weakens the control I pretend to have over
my emotions each time I listen to it. Its cathartic and healing. The title tune
is arranged in six movements, unusual for a jazz tune which typically is arranged
around a melody, a harmony or a grove set by the rhythm section. Here, Morgan
simulates a symphonic structure, no doubt drawn from his musical training and
innate technical proficiency. Morgan and Wayne Shorter play a melody counter to
the harmonic ripple sound created by the collective playing of Grant Green’s
guitar plucks, Herbie Hancock’s ivory tickling and Billy Higgns’ light press on
the symbols and Reginald Workman’s bow humming out the lower harmonics on the
bass. This creates a din, a wall of sound with its own harmonic rhythm, much
like the multiple conversations in a crowd or a debate among and between people
in an effort to resolve an important issue. Workman’s role on this tune is
critically prominent. He is the gate keeper, interlocutor and navigator
regulating the dialogue between the featured speakers, Morgan, Green Hancock
& Shorter. At the bridges they all pause and wait for Workman who replaces
the bow with his fingers, Da-dum, da-da, da-dum…, for a few bars, creating the
space for the soloist, the speaker.
The remaining tunes are a tour de force of compositional execution
and melodic coherency; just absolutely and stunningly beautiful. There are
‘talk ‘bout it’ moments throughout each tune. The Joker, Melancholee and Morgan
the Pirate are as much biographical as they are metaphors for other things.
Morgan was known to have a quick wit and a penchant for practical jokes which
he often displayed when he was working in Dizzy’s band. But The joker is also a
trickster who draws your attention away from what he is really doing. In this
case Morgan’s use of groovy, finger popin’ music draws you in so that he can
lay his message on you. Morgan the Pirate is similar to The Joker in meaning
and feeling, but closer to the Robin Hood persona. Readers of EAR-UP! will be
familiar with Melancholee. I’ve described it as speaking the language of the heart
because it is an emotionally raw and empathic piece. Though seemingly sad I
find it very comforting and reassuring. It had particular meaning to me years
ago when my grandmother passed. Somehow it helped fortify me the day of her
funeral.
Finally Mr. Kenyatta, so named for Jomo Kenyatta the first
Prime Minister and President of Kenya although he was still Prime Minister when
this album was recorded, is filled with triumphant exuberance. Kenyatta was an
international symbol of African freedom, anti colonial and anti-apartheid
protest. For a musician like Morgan the symbolism and importance of Kenyatta on
the world stage coupled with the civil rights struggles of black people in the
United States was vitally important. The melody of the tune even recites the
syllables of his name; Jo-mo, Jo-mo Ken-yat-ta, Jo-mo, Jo-mo Ken-yat-ta, Jo-mo,
Jo-mo Ken-yat-ta…
Mr. Kenyatta and the title tune, Search For The New Land are
symbolic of Morgan’s political and social outlook. That is why this is protest
album in sheep’s clothing. And though the time of apartheid and Jim Crow
segregation have passed there is still “so much trouble in the world” that
remains barely discernable as the sounds of war and hatred play ever louder their
popular dissonant cacophonies. It is no coincidence that Herbie Hancock,
designated the 2011 UNESCO Ambassador of Peace is featured on this album. Search
For The New Land is an entree to the power of healing through music because The
Ear is an Organ Made for Love. The ear speaks to the heart.
This EAR-UP! is
dedicated to Me-K
Hear the tunes from Lee Morgan’s 1964 album Search For The
New Land
Lee Morgan, trumpet
Wayne Shorter, tenor sax
Grant Greene, guitar
Herbie Hancock, piano
Reginald Workman, bass
Billy Higgins, drums
Search For The New Land
The Joker
Mr. Kenyatta
Melancholee
Morgan The Pirate
