Review by Michael G. Nastos
From late 1967 through 1968, Lee Morgan fronted a fine sextet with alto saxophonist Jackie McLean and the less-heralded tenor saxophonist Frank Mitchell. The group recorded The Sixth Sense, but by September of 1968, Morgan, Mitchell, and drummer Billy Higgins remained, the band revamped and reduced to a quintet. Those later sessions were not released until 1999 with the issue of this CD, which includes three bonus tracks. Where McLean's contribution was very telling in terms of the combo's overall sound, the quintet was able to further display the quiet confidence and competence Mitchell held. Either Cedar Walton or Harold Mabern appear showcasing their distinctive qualities, so this transitional recording marks the end of Walton's association, and the beginning of Mabern's, who would last with Morgan right up to his tragic and senseless murder. The symmetry of McLean's sourdough alto, Morgan's on-top trumpet and the middle-ground tenor of Mitchell is more balanced on the straight-ahead calypso title track, sweet and light as Walton sets the pace and proportions the right seasonings. "Short Count" on the other hand displays a stubby melody spiked by Walton's piano accents and the drum fills of Higgins in a more off minor taste. Approaching boogaloo go-go, "Psychedelic" is not so much acidic as conga line, Morgan leading the group, then following. The most memorable piece is Walton's "Afreaka," a wonderful modal piece with an Afro-centric groove and great harmonic content. High drama identifies "Anti Climax" with a dark, closet film noir sound acceding to hard bop, while the great Cal Massey composition "The Cry of My People" is covered, a ballad dominated by Morgan's somber and deep muted trumpet, swinging lightly on the bridge. The three tracks sans McLean and Walton with Morgan, Mitchell, Mabern, Higgins, and bassist Mickey Bass replacing Victor Sproles from the fall of 1968 sound noticeably different from the others. There's a more soulful flavor in Mabern's Memphis-cum-N.Y.C. uptown approach, and Mitchell challenges himself to assert his individual, less-pronounced voicings. The tenorman's post-bop composition "Extemporaneous" displays tricky phrasings and a musical syncopation, Bass' "Mickey's Tune" uses a loping 5/4 to 6/8 rhythm change so modern it keeps your ears on their toes, so to speak, and while "Leebop" is fairly typical, the chord substitutions and brilliant playing of Mabern are hard to ignore as he digs in, far above average or timid. The more one listens to Mabern the more you understand why he was a favorite of Morgan's, and everyone else's. The appropriately title Sixth Sense presents a transition between one of the most intriguing sextets during the last years of post-bop and Morgan's final ensembles that saw him reaching higher and higher before, like Icarus, falling from grace.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-sixth-sense-mw0000254582
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Reseña de Michael G. Nastos
Desde finales de 1967 hasta 1968, Lee Morgan dirigió un excelente sexteto con la saxofonista alto Jackie McLean y el saxofonista tenor menos anunciado Frank Mitchell. El grupo grabó The Sixth Sense, pero en septiembre de 1968, Morgan, Mitchell y el baterista Billy Higgins permanecieron, la banda se renovó y se redujo a un quinteto. Esas sesiones posteriores no se editaron hasta 1999 con la edición de este CD, que incluye tres bonus tracks. Donde la contribución de McLean fue muy reveladora en términos del sonido general del combo, el quinteto pudo mostrar aún más la tranquila confianza y competencia que tenía Mitchell. Ya sea Cedar Walton o Harold Mabern aparecen mostrando sus cualidades distintivas, por lo que esta grabación de transición marca el final de la asociación de Walton y el comienzo de la de Mabern, que duraría con Morgan hasta su trágico y sin sentido asesinato. La simetría del alto de masa madre de McLean, la trompeta superior de Morgan y el tenor intermedio de Mitchell está más equilibrada en la pista principal de calipso, dulce y ligera, ya que Walton marca el ritmo y proporciona los condimentos adecuados. "Short Count", por otro lado, muestra una melodía rechoncha con acentos de piano de Walton y la batería llena de Higgins en un sabor más apagado. Acercándose al boogaloo go-go, "Psychedelic" no es tanto ácido como conga line, Morgan lidera el grupo y luego lo sigue. La pieza más memorable es "Afreaka" de Walton, una maravillosa pieza modal con un ritmo afrocéntrico y un gran contenido armónico. El alto drama identifica "Anti Climax" con un sonido oscuro de cine negro de armario que accede al hard bop, mientras que se cubre la gran composición de Cal Massey "The Cry of My People" , una balada dominada por la trompeta sombría y profunda de Morgan, balanceándose ligeramente en el puente. Las tres pistas sin McLean y Walton con Morgan, Mitchell, Mabern, Higgins y el bajista Mickey Bass reemplazando a Victor Sproles desde el otoño de 1968 suenan notablemente diferentes a las demás. Hay un sabor más conmovedor en Memphis-cum-N. Y. C. de Mabern. uptown se acerca, y Mitchell se desafía a sí mismo a afirmar sus voces individuales y menos pronunciadas. La composición post-bop del tenorman "Extemporaneous" muestra frases complicadas y una síncopa musical, "Mickey's Tune" de Bass usa un cambio de ritmo de 5/4 a 6/8 tan moderno que mantiene los oídos alerta, por así decirlo, y aunque "Leebop" es bastante típico, las sustituciones de acordes y la brillante interpretación de Mabern son difíciles de ignorar mientras profundiza, muy por encima del promedio o tímidas. Cuanto más escuchas a Mabern, más entiendes por qué era el favorito de Morgan y de todos los demás. El título apropiado Sexto Sentido presenta una transición entre uno de los sextetos más intrigantes durante los últimos años del post-bop y los conjuntos finales de Morgan que lo vieron llegar más y más alto antes de que, como Ícaro, cayera en desgracia.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-sixth-sense-mw0000254582
1 - The Sixth Sense - 6:45
2 - Short Count - 6:01
3 - Psychedelic - 6:30
4 - Afreaka - 8:03
5 - Anti Climax - 6:17
6 - The Cry Of My People - 5:23
7 - Extemporaneous - 5:07
8 - Mickey's Tune - 6:34
9 - Leebop - 5:37
Credits:
Alto Saxophone – Jackie McLean (tracks: 1 to 6)
Art Direction, Design – Michael Boland (2)
Bass – Mickey Bass (tracks: 7 to 9), Victor Sproles (tracks: 1 to 6)
Composed By – Lee Morgan (tracks: 1 to 3, 5, 9)
Creative Director – Gordon H Jee
Design [Cover Design] – Bob Venosa, Havona
Drums – Billy Higgins
Liner Notes – Bob Blumenthal
Photography By – Francis Wolff
Piano – Cedar Walton (tracks: 1 to 6), Harold Mabern (tracks: 7 to 9)
Producer – Duke Pearson (tracks: 7 to 9), Francis Wolff (tracks: 1 to 6)
Recorded By, Remastered By – Rudy Van Gelder
Reissue Producer – Michael Cuscuna
Tenor Saxophone – Frank Mitchell
Trumpet – Lee Morgan
Note:
Recorded At – Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey
Recorded on November 10, 1967 (1-6) and September 13, 1968 (7-9).
Tracks 1-6 originally issued as BST 84335, 7-9 previously unreleased bonus tracks
Label: Blue Note – 7243 5 71065 2 8
Series: RVG Edition
Country: Europe
Released: 2004
Genre: Jazz
Style: Hard Bop, Soul-Jazz, Modal
https://www.discogs.com/release/1705404-Lee-Morgan-The-Sixth-Sense
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