Charles Earland
"Intensity"
(Prestige/Original Jazz Classics)
There has been a resurgence of interest in the whole traditional/funky-organ phenomenon that emerged in the sixties with a focus on musicians like Jimmy Smith, Richard "Groove" Holmes, Rueben Wilson, Jimmy McGriff, "Brother" Jack McDuff and a few others. The fact that three-fourths of these organists came out of the Philadelphia area is interesting, but we'll leave that story for another day. While I personally am a sucker for almost all of this R&B/soul-jazz instrumental stuff, I find Earland's "Intensity" album of particular note because of the presence of the late, great trumpeter, Lee Morgan. Sadly, Lee Morgan was shot and killed just two days after this recording was completed. Morgan was well known as a ferocious trumpeter who had worked with Dizzy Gillespie as a young man before joining Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers. Morgan eventually left Blakey for a solo career and put out a number of excellent albums on the Blue Note label before his untimely death. The song choices on "Intensity" reveals the influence of the times as Earland covers songs like Carole King's "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow" and Chicago's "Lowdown." Still, the highpoints of this recording are Earland's tribute to his soon-to-be-deceased friend, "Morgan" and a version Lee Morgan's signature tune, "Speedball." Earland's organ playing is gritty, passionate and full of enthusiasm, as is Morgan's inimitable trumpet style. Together the two men made these sessions more than memorable and a must-have for hard-bop fans looking for something to sink their teeth into. Listening to this disc will hopefully lead one to investigate other essential albums by both Charles Earland and Lee Morgan.
by Mitch Myers
copyright 1999 New City Communications, Inc.