Lee Morgan- The Sidewinder (Blue Note Essentials Series)

Label: Blue Note

Reissued 7/17/2026, Originally released 1964

Lee Morgan's magnum opus The Sidewinder—recorded in 1963 and released in 1964—was both a comeback and a coronation. The prodigious trumpeter had debuted on Blue Note in 1956 at the age of 18, but personal problems in the early-'60s forced him off the scene temporarily. His rebound recording turned out to be The Sidewinder, an assured and energetic set of five indelible Morgan originals featuring tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson, pianist Barry Harris, bassist Bob Cranshaw, and drummer Billy Higgins. The album became his biggest commercial success fueled by the irrepressible title track.

Track listing:

1. Sidewinder
   
2. Totem Pole
   
3. Gary's Notebook
   
4. Boy What a Night
   
5. Hocus-Pocus