Lee Morgan - The Rumproller

The Rumproller is Lee Morgan cooking at full heat, a 1966 Blue Note album that leans hard into soul-jazz grooves. This edition is pressed on 180-gram vinyl.

Following the runaway success of The Sidewinder, Blue Note was hungry for another hit, and the title track here was clearly built with that in mind. Morgan recorded the session in April 1965 with Joe Henderson on tenor, Ronnie Mathews on piano, Victor Sproles on bass and Billy Higgins on drums, a band that could swing hard and still find nuance.

The Rumproller, written by Andrew Hill, struts along on a funky, rolling rhythm that practically begs for a dance floor. Desert Moonlight takes a Latin-tinged turn, its melody shimmering over Higgins's crisp cymbals. Edda, a Wayne Shorter tune, is darker and more searching, while The Lady closes the original album on a more reflective note that shows off the warmth in Morgan's tone.

Henderson is the perfect foil throughout, his tenor gruff and inventive against Morgan's bright, cocky trumpet. Mathews comps with real bounce, and Sproles keeps the bottom end steady and supple.

Often filed as a Sidewinder follow-up, this record deserves its own spotlight. On heavyweight vinyl, those grooves land with real weight.