Description: This is the first biography of the jazz trumpeter Lee Morgan (1938-72).
Review Quotes:
Through a wealth of research and incisive anecdote from his band members and close associates, Morgan emerges as an intriguing, multi-layered figure.
Kevin Le Gendre, The Independent on Sunday
The whole trajectory [of Morgan's life]... is handled with impressive confidence. It's clichéd praise, but my first act on finishing the book was to dig out a slew of old Blue Notes.
Brian Morton, The Wire
An outstanding achievement... [Perchard] shows himself to be a close listener and a tough-minded critic who can write vividly about the music.
Ed Hazell, Signal to Noise
This is a remarkable book and an outstanding contribution to jazz literature... a very impressive achievement indeed.
Graham Colombé, Jazz Journal International
First-rate jazz scholarship.
Andrew Scott, Coda
Excellent... [Perchard is] especially good on Morgan's music, analytical but not so technical as to lose most readers.
Will Friedwald, The New York Sun
Perchard doesn't focus on the sensational parts of Morgan's life but skilfully dissects his music, and gives it a fitting social context.
Fred Dellar, Mojo
Perchard navigates between Morgan's music, its political and social context, its implications for the development of jazz and the minutiae of its creation and points of reference with natural expertise... Dust off and play your copy of The Sidewinder, then enjoy this book.
Roger Thomas, BBC Music Magazine
An extraordinary achievement. Subtitled 'His Life, Music and Culture', it is exactly that, not just life and music as most biographies are, but a substantial jazz history too and as such can be highly recommended.
Chris Yates, The Jazz Rag
Perchard's writing is clear, and the book is well researched (the author interviewed more than three dozen people for the book) and well documented. As the first biography of this important hard-bop trumpet player, the book is a significant addition to the jazz literature... Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through faculty and professionals; general readers.
CHOICE