Lee Morgan - 'Mr Kenyatta' from Search For The New Land

Edward Lee Morgan (July 10, 1938 – February 19, 1972) was an American jazz trumpeter and composer, widely regarded as one of the key figures in the hard bop movement of the 1950s and 1960s. Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Morgan was a child prodigy who began playing the trumpet at age 13 and was performing professionally by 15. His primary influence was Clifford Brown, whose lyrical and virtuosic style shaped Morgan’s early playing. Morgan’s technical brilliance, emotional expressiveness, and ability to blend blues, R&B, and hard bop elements made him a cornerstone of the Blue Note Records roster.

Morgan’s career took off in his late teens when he joined Dizzy Gillespie’s big band at 18, showcasing his precocious talent. In 1956, he began recording as a leader for Blue Note, eventually cutting 25 albums for the label. He also became a prominent sideman, appearing on seminal recordings like John Coltrane’s Blue Train (1957), where he played a trumpet with an angled bell given to him by Gillespie, and Art Blakey’s Moanin’ (1958) with the Jazz Messengers, where he honed his fiery, bluesy style. Morgan’s tenure with Blakey’s Jazz Messengers (1958–61 and 1964–65) was pivotal, solidifying his reputation as a dynamic soloist and composer.

Despite his success, Morgan struggled with heroin addiction, which led to a hiatus from music between 1961 and 1963. He sold his trumpet to fund his addiction and withdrew to Philadelphia, with rumors circulating that he had died. Remarkably, he made a comeback in late 1963, recording The Sidewinder, a surprise crossover hit that reached the pop and R&B charts in 1964, saving Blue Note from financial ruin. This success, however, overshadowed his more experimental follow-up, Search for the New Land, recorded in February 1964 but shelved until 1966 to capitalize on The Sidewinder’s popularity.

Morgan continued to record prolifically, blending hard bop with modal and avant-garde elements, as seen in albums like Cornbread (1965) and The Gigolo (1965). In his later years, he became politically active, co-leading the Jazz and People’s Movement to advocate for more jazz representation in media. Tragically, Morgan’s life was cut short at 33 when he was shot by his common-law wife, Helen More, at Slugs’ Saloon in New York City on February 19, 1972, during a performance. His death was a profound loss to the jazz world, but his legacy endures through his extensive discography and influence on trumpeters.

Search for the New Land Album

Search for the New Land, recorded on February 15, 1964, and released by Blue Note Records in 1966, is considered one of Lee Morgan’s most profound and ambitious works. Coming off the commercial success of The Sidewinder (recorded November 1963), this album marked a creative rebirth for Morgan after his struggles with addiction. Unlike the accessible, soul-jazz groove of The Sidewinder, Search for the New Land is a more introspective and experimental work, blending hard bop with modal and post-bop elements, reflecting the influence of contemporaries like John Coltrane. The album features an all-star sextet: Morgan on trumpet, Wayne Shorter on tenor saxophone, Herbie Hancock on piano, Grant Green on guitar, Reggie Workman on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums.

The album’s title and thematic content are often interpreted as a metaphor for both personal renewal and broader social aspirations, particularly in the context of the Civil Rights Movement and African nations’ struggles for independence in the early 1960s. Jazz commentator Scott Yanow described it as “one of the finest Lee Morgan records,” and it reached #16 on Billboard’s “Black Albums” chart and #143 on the “Pop Albums” chart. The album’s cover, featuring a striking black-and-white photo of Morgan gazing intently at the camera, underscores its serious and contemplative tone.

The tracklist includes five Morgan compositions:

1. Search for the New Land

2. The Joker

3. Mr. Kenyatta

4. Melancholee

5. Morgan the Pirate

The title track, a nearly 16-minute modal masterpiece, dominates the album with its cyclical structure, alternating between rubato and straight-time sections, featuring introspective solos by Morgan, Shorter, Hancock, and Green. The album balances this intensity with lighter tracks like the upbeat The Joker and the playful Morgan the Pirate, showcasing Morgan’s versatility as a composer and performer.

Mr. Kenyatta

Mr. Kenyatta, the third track on Search for the New Land, is a hard-hitting, uptempo hard bop composition dedicated to Jomo Kenyatta, Kenya’s first post-colonial prime minister (and later president) following the country’s independence from Britain in December 1963. The song’s title and celebratory energy reflect Morgan’s engagement with the era’s themes of liberation and self-determination, tying into the album’s overarching concept of searching for a “new land.” The track features a driving rhythm and a chorus structure that builds tension and releases it, spurring vibrant solos from Morgan, Shorter, Hancock, and Green.

Musically, Mr. Kenyatta is more rooted in traditional hard bop than the modal explorations of the title track, with a staccato, urgent melody and a strong rhythmic pulse. Grant Green’s comping doubles Hancock’s piano, adding intensity, while Billy Higgins’ snare work propels the track forward. The solos are inventive and charged, with Morgan’s trumpet delivering aggressive yet polished lines, Shorter’s saxophone weaving intricate phrases, and Hancock’s piano offering a dynamic interplay of support and soloistic flair. Reviewers note that the track exemplifies Morgan’s ability to evolve within the hard bop idiom, creating a polished yet powerful statement that balances accessibility with sophistication.

Search for the New Land is often cited as Morgan’s most artistically significant work, despite being overshadowed by The Sidewinder’s commercial success. Its blend of hard bop, modal jazz, and socio-political themes showcases Morgan’s growth as a composer and his ability to assemble a stellar band. Mr. Kenyatta stands out as a vibrant tribute to African independence and a testament to Morgan’s ability to infuse hard bop with cultural relevance.