Album Reviews

More mysterious and less of a head-bobber than the pop fave The Sidewinder, Search For The New Land is the one to have if you’re going to have but one Lee Morgan Blue Note (too bad, though if you’re only going to have one).

This 1964 release leads with the introspective title tune but there’s plenty of rhythmic swagger in numbers like “The Joker” and “Mr. Kenyatta.” The rhythm section of Herbie Hancock, Reggie Workman and Billy Higgins jet propels this session, with Higgins’ work particularly note worthy as are the crisp Grant Green pickings. Everyone’s on fire on “Mr. Kenyetta.”

Wayne Shorter and of course Morgan have plenty to say too, but you could spend an entire listen digging what Billy Higgins does on that one. Higgins had this ability to “hit and run.”

“Melancholee” takes the introspective mood down to cool Bill Evans territory, with Herbie and Wayne gliding in long strides and Higgins keeping time with smooth brush stroke swirls.

“Morgan The Pirate” waltzes the set to a close with Morgan and Shorter stating the melody in lockstep until they break so Morgan can produce one of the album’s best solos that leads Green to one of his, followed by a short but twisty Coltrane-ish one from Shorter. Catch Workman and Hancock chase each other like playful cats before Morgan and Shorter come back to restate the theme.

This record has everything: it’s tuneful and rhythmically propulsive, the compositions take unusual twists and turns and everyone involved plays at their highest performance levels. The vamp-stretches are few and far between and aside from some sections of the title track that sound reminiscent of Coltrane’s quartet on “My Favorite Things,” the level of creativity and originality is unusually high.

Rudy’s recording is also among his finest of that era with plenty of depth, wide dynamics and spaciousness. The sense of instruments stuck to the speakers is mostly absent and Hancock’s center channel piano is timbrally and texturally quite well done. Grant Green’s guitar is positively 3D and you don’t even need glasses. Higgins' rim shots will have you sporting wood!

Another first rate reissue from Music Matters with fantastic photos, yes, but combined with it being one of the great Blue Note titles, in my opinion, and sounding better than the original I have long treasured, this one gets an “essential” recommendation. Don’t miss this one while it’s in print!