Frank Morgan

Frank Morgan (December 23, 1933 - December 14, 2007) was a jazz saxophonist with a career spanning more than 50 years.

He mainly played alto saxophone but also played soprano saxophone. During the 1950s he was known as a Charlie Parker successor and recorded several bebop albums.

Morgan's father was a guitarist with the vocal group The Ink Spots. Frank was playing guitar until seven when taken to see Charlie Parker play. Parker suggested starting with clarinet which he did for two years before switching to sax. He moved to California at age of 14 and started taking heroin at 17, subsequently became addicted and ended up spending time in Californian prisons. Formed a small ensemble at San Quentin prison in the 1960s with another addict and sax player, Art Pepper. (Source Marian McPartland interview with Frank Morgan.)

The Frank Morgan Quartet featured Dolo Coker on piano, Flip Greene on bass and Larance Marable on drums.

In 1985 he started recording again, releasing Easy Living in June 1985. He suffered a stroke in 1998, but subsequently recovered and recorded additional albums.

Discography

 * Gene Norman Presents Frank Morgan (GNP Crescendo Records GNPD 9041) 1955) with Wardell Gray, Conte Candoli, Howard Roberts, Carl Perkins, Wild Bill Davis
 * Easy Living (OJC, 1985) with Cedar Walton, Tony Dumas, Billy Higgins
 * Double Image (Contemporary, 1986) with George Cables
 * Lament (1987)
 * Major Changes (1987)
 * Yardbird Suite (OJc, 1988) with Mulgrew Miller, Ron Carter, Al Foster
 * Reflections (OJC, 1989) with Joe Henderson, Bobby Hutcherson, Mulgrew Miller, Ron Carter, Al Foster
 * Mood Indigo (1989)
 * A Lovesome Thing (1991) with Roy Hargrove, Abbey Lincoln
 * You Must Believe In Spring (1992)
 * Listen to the Dawn (Antilles, 1993) with Kenny Burrell, Ron Carter, Grady Tate
 * Love, Lost and Found (Telarc, 1995) with Cedar Walton, Ray Brown, Billy Higgins
 * Bop! (Telarc, 1996) with Ray Drummond, Curtis Lundy
 * City Nights (2004)
 * Raising the Standard (2005)
 * Reflections (2006)
 * Night in the Life (2007)

As sideman
With Milt Jackson With Lyle Murphy
 * Meet Milt Jackson (Savoy, 1954)
 * Four Saxophones in Twelve Tones (GNP, 1955)