Lee Morgan

Legendary Jazz Trumpeter and Hard Bop Innovator

Lee Morgan was a highly influential American jazz trumpeter known for his work in the hard bop style. Born on July 10, 1938, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Morgan was a prodigious talent who joined the Dizzy Gillespie Big Band at 18 and later became a member of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, contributing significantly to the group's sound and success. His career was marked by a series of successful albums as both a leader and sideman. Among his most notable works is "The Sidewinder," released in 1964, which became one of the defining records of the hard bop genre and also provided a commercial boost to Blue Note Records, thanks to its title track which enjoyed unexpected radio play.