Neal Morgan

{{short description|American drummer}}

{{For|those of a similar name|Neil Morgan (disambiguation)}}

{{Cleanup bare URLs|date=August 2022}}

{{Infobox musical artist

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| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1979|03|07}}

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| instrument = drums

| years_active = 2006–present

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Neal Morgan (born March 7, 1979) is an American drummer, arranger of drums and percussion, and singer-songwriter.{{cite web|url=http://www.wweek.com/portland/article-18743-neal_morgan_sunday_feb_5.html |title=Neal Morgan: Sunday, Feb. 5, Holocene |publisher=Wweek.com |date= February 2012|access-date=2013-07-29}}{{cite web|last=Benson |first=Thor |url=http://www.portlandmercury.com/portland/a-different-drum/Content?oid=5540486 |title=A Different Drum | Music |publisher=Portland Mercury |date= |access-date=2013-07-29}}{{cite web|last=Kun |first=Josh |url=http://bombsite.com/issues/1000/articles/6376 |title=BOMBLOG: Mixtape: Neal Morgan by Gary Canino |publisher=Bombsite.com |date=2012-01-23 |access-date=2013-07-29}}{{cite web|author=|url=http://thebomberjacket.com/2012/05/29/drumming-in-the-garage-with-neal-morgan/ |title=Drumming in the Garage with Neal Morgan |publisher=Thebomberjacket.com |date=2012-05-29 |access-date=2013-07-29}}{{cite web|url=http://intothewoods.tv/feels-like-home/episode-47 |title=Feels Like Home #47: Neal Morgan |publisher=Into The Woods.Tv |date=2012-05-19 |access-date=2013-07-29}} Morgan is best known as the drummer for Joanna Newsom{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/07/magazine/07Newsom-t.html?pagewanted=all|title = Joanna Newsom, the Changeling|newspaper = The New York Times|date = 3 March 2010|last1 = Rosen|first1 = Jody}} and Bill Callahan, among other songwriters, and for five solo albums.

The first three of Morgan's albums were composed of only his own drumming and singing. His 2009 debut album To The Breathing World and the 2011 LP In The Yard were self-releases distributed by Drag City.{{cite web |date= |title=Neal Morgan - To The Breathing World |url=http://www.dragcity.com/products/to-the-breathing-world |access-date=2013-07-29 |publisher=Drag City}}{{cite web |date=2009-05-21 |title=Neal Morgan - In The Yard |url=http://www.dragcity.com/products/in-the-yard |access-date=2013-07-29 |publisher=Drag City}} His third LP, the self-titled spoken album Neal Morgan, was released by Portland Oregon label Party Damage in 2014.https://www.oregonlive.com/music/2014/04/neal_morgan_new_album.html{{cite web |last=Warfield |first=Russell |date=2012-01-31 |title=Neal Morgan - In the Yard / Releases / Releases // Drowned In Sound |url=http://drownedinsound.com/releases/16786/reviews/4144409 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140817215102/http://drownedinsound.com/releases/16786/reviews/4144409 |archive-date=2014-08-17 |access-date=2013-07-29 |publisher=Drownedinsound.com}}{{cite web |date= |title=Music Blog: Exclusive: Stream Neal Morgan's New Album |url=http://opbmusic.org/blog/exclusive_stream_neal_morgans_new_album |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120518125838/http://opbmusic.org/blog/exclusive_stream_neal_morgans_new_album |archive-date=2012-05-18 |access-date=2013-07-29 |publisher=opbmusic}} On May 5, 2017 Morgan released his fourth full-length album, Sketchbook March 2015 - March 2016 digitally, with a cassette release by Portland label Beacon Sound.https://nealmorgan.info/sketchbook

The 24-song 85-minute PAW, his fifth album, was released March 14, 2025 with a limited edition cassette and digital streaming on all platforms. It was the artist's first collection of pop songs and the first of his albums to feature collaborators (see: [https://nealmorgan.info/linernotes PAW lyrics & credits]). In a March 12, 2025 review, Portland's Willamette Week called the album "One of the more intriguing collections of music to come out of Portland in recent memory" and noted that “In terms of its ambition, PAW brings to mind Cindy Lee’s Diamond Jubilee”.{{Cite web |date=2025-03-11 |title=Portland Drummer Neal Morgan Shares His Newest 24-Song Album, “PAW” |url=https://www.wweek.com/music/2025/03/11/portland-drummer-neal-morgan-shares-his-newest-24-song-album-paw/ |access-date=2025-04-18 |website=Willamette Week |language=en}} The album was covered and/or playlisted upon its release by Brooklyn Vegan, Stereogum, NPR Music, Talkhouse, AU Review, among other music review outlets.{{Cite web |last=Staff |first=BrooklynVegan |title=26 New Songs Out Today |url=https://www.brooklynvegan.com/26-new-songs-out-today-57/ |access-date=2025-04-18 |website=BrooklynVegan |language=en-US}}{{Cite news |last=Thompson |first=Stephen |date=2025-03-17 |title=Our favorite albums out March 14 |url=https://www.npr.org/sections/all-songs-considered/2025/03/14/g-s1-53591/new-music-friday-playboi-carti-charley-crockett-daveed-diggs |access-date=2025-04-18 |work=NPR |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2025-03-11 |title=Album Of The Week: Terraplana 'Natural' |url=https://www.stereogum.com/2299633/album-of-the-week-terraplana-natural/reviews/album-of-the-week/ |access-date=2025-04-18 |website=Stereogum |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Neal Morgan and Anis Mojgani Peel Back the Layers |url=https://www.talkhouse.com/neal-morgan-and-anis-mojgani-peel-back-the-layers/ |access-date=2025-04-18 |website=Talkhouse |language=en-US}}

Morgan began drumming for Joanna Newsom in 2006 for the touring cycle in support of her second album Ys. In a 2007 interview, Newsom said of Morgan "I am in awe of him...he elevates literally every musical project he touches."{{cite web|url=http://www.dustedmagazine.com/features/646 |title=Dusted Features [ Vision Creation Newsom! ] |publisher=Dustedmagazine.com |date= |access-date=2013-07-29}} He arranged drums and percussion for the live performance of that material as well as arranging for songs from her debut release, The Milk-Eyed Mender. Morgan contributed singing as well as performing his drum and percussion arrangements on Newsom's 2007 EP Joanna Newsom and the Ys Street Band.{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/10129-joanna-newsom-the-ys-street-band-ep/ |title=Joanna Newsom: Joanna Newsom & the Ys Street Band EP | Album Reviews |publisher=Pitchfork |date=2007-04-23 |access-date=2013-07-29}} Morgan arranged and performed the drums and percussion on Newsom's third record, the triple album Have One On Me, released in 2010,{{cite web|url=http://www.uncut.co.uk/joanna-newsom/joanna-newsom-have-one-on-me-review |title=Joanna Newsom - Have One On Me |publisher=Uncut.co.uk |date=1969-07-05 |access-date=2013-07-29}} and accompanied Newsom in live performance for the tour cycle for that record,{{cite web |url=http://blog.kexp.org/2010/08/09/live-review-joanna-newsom-and-robin-pecknold-the-moore-84/ |title=Live Review: Joanna Newsom and Robin Pecknold @ The Moore 8/4 |publisher=Blog.kexp.org |date=2010-08-09 |access-date=2013-07-29 |archive-date=2015-09-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150912132654/http://blog.kexp.org/2010/08/09/live-review-joanna-newsom-and-robin-pecknold-the-moore-84/ |url-status=dead }}{{cite web|url=http://seattletimes.com/html/matsononmusic/2012542538_concert_review_joanna_newsom_a.html |title=Matson on Music | Concert review: Joanna Newsom and Robin Pecknold at The Moore 08/04/10 | Seattle Times Newspaper |publisher=Seattletimes.com |date=2010-08-05 |access-date=2013-07-29}} often opening shows with solo sets of drumming and singing.{{cite web|url=https://www.spin.com/2010/11/virtuosic-joanna-newsom-charms-carnegie-hall/ |title=Virtuosic Joanna Newsom Charms at Carnegie Hall | SPIN | Live | We Were There |publisher=SPIN |date=2010-11-24 |access-date=2013-07-29}}

He arranged and performed drums and percussion for the songs Sapokanikan, Goose Eggs, and Waltz of the 101st Lightborne from Newsom's 2015 LP Divers.Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211209/ky9Ro9pP2gc Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20150811105004/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ky9Ro9pP2gc Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite AV media| url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ky9Ro9pP2gc| title = Joanna Newsom "Sapokanikan" (Official Video) | website=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}{{Cite web|url=http://consequenceofsound.net/2015/10/album-review-joanna-newsom-divers/|title=Album Review: Joanna Newsom - Divers|date=26 October 2015}}

Morgan began drumming for Bill Callahan in 2009 at the tail end of Callahan's touring for his second self-titled album Sometimes I Wish We Were An Eagle. Morgan and Callahan performed as a duo for a tour of the Southern United States in late 2009 and a second tour of Spain, France and Portugal in 2010. Morgan arranged drums and percussion on Callahan's third self-titled record, Apocalypse, released in 2011, and along with guitarist Matt Kinsey accompanied Callahan for the tour cycle in support of that album.{{cite web |url=http://www.musicomh.com/reviews/live/bill-callahan-barbican-london |title=Bill Callahan @ Barbican, London | Live Reviews |publisher=musicOMH |date=2011-05-09 |access-date=2013-07-29}}{{cite web |last=Skinner |first=James |url=http://drownedinsound.com/gigs/45329/reviews/4142765 |title=Review / Bill Callahan @ Sala Bikini, Barcelona, 23/05/11 / Gigs // Drowned In Sound |publisher=Drownedinsound.com |date=2011-06-06 |access-date=2013-07-29 |archive-date=2013-04-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130406135050/http://drownedinsound.com/gigs/45329/reviews/4142765 |url-status=dead }} He was featured in the 2012 Hanly Banks documentary Apocalypse, which followed a 2011 Bill Callahan tour in the United States.{{cite web|last=Shannon |first=Jeff |url=http://seattletimes.com/html/movies/2019086171_mr07apocalypse.html |title='Apocalypse: A Bill Callahan Tour Film': Musician is still a mystery | Movies |publisher=The Seattle Times |date=2012-09-06 |access-date=2013-07-29}}

Morgan's second LP, In The Yard, featured Philip Guston's painting Evidence, 1970 on the cover. Morgan has lectured on the painter Philip Guston since 2012.{{cite web |title=Neal Morgan ignites enthusiasm for hero-artist Philip Guston |url=http://psuvanguard.com/catherines-article-on-philip-guston/}} He gave four lectures on the west coast of the United States on the occasion of Guston's 100th birthday in June, 2013.{{cite web |author=Stumptown Coffee Roasters |title=A Conversation with Drummer Neal Morgan - Stumptown Coffee Roasters |url=http://stumptowncoffee.com/a-conversation-with-drummer-neal-morgan-2/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150601113408/http://stumptowncoffee.com/a-conversation-with-drummer-neal-morgan-2/ |archive-date=2015-06-01 |access-date=2013-07-29 |publisher=Stumptowncoffee.com}}

Morgan arranged and performed drums and percussion with Robin Pecknold and Morgan Henderson on the soundtrack for the documentary Birth Story: Ina May Gaskin & The Farm Wives in 2012.{{cite web |url=http://www.florarecording.com/feb-9-2012/ |title=Feb 9, 2012 | Flora Recording & Playback |publisher=Florarecording.com |date=2012-02-09 |access-date=2013-07-29 |archive-date=2016-03-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304065527/http://www.florarecording.com/feb-9-2012/ |url-status=dead }}

He arranged and performed and was the recording engineer for drums and percussion for Roy Harper's Man Or Myth, a September 23, 2013 release on Bella Union.{{cite web|author=|url=http://bellaunion.com/2013/07/roy-harper-to-release-man-and-myth-on-bella-union/ |title=Roy Harper to release "Man And Myth" on |publisher=Bella Union |date=2013-07-04 |access-date=2013-07-29}}

On October 22, 2013, Morgan performed the song Corduroy from Pearl Jam's album Vitalogy with Robin Pecknold and Daniel Rossen on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon, as a part of that show's "Pearl Jam Week".{{Cite web|url=https://www.spin.com/2013/10/robin-pecknold-pearl-jam-corduroy-jimmy-fallon-video/|title = Why Robin Pecknold's Clean-Cut Pearl Jam 'Fallon' Cover Speaks Volumes|date = 23 October 2013}}

Morgan arranged and performed drums and percussion for composer Brocker Way's score of The Battered Bastards of Baseball, a Netflix Original Documentary released July 11, 2014.{{Cite web|url=http://brockerway.bandcamp.com/releases|title=Wild Wild Country (Original Score), by Brocker Way}}

Along with Robin Pecknold and Morgan Henderson, he arranged and performed drums for the score of A Nice Day For A Walk To The End, a film by Sean Pecknold and Matt Daniels, released July 2014.http://anicedayforawalktotheend.com/

Morgan and Robin Pecknold scored the Off-Broadway play Wyoming, which was written by Brian Watkins and directed by Danya Taymor. The play was presented at NYC's Theater For The New City from January 15–31, 2015.{{Cite web|url=http://www.brooklynvegan.com/archives/2015/01/fleet_foxes_rob.html|title=Fleet Foxes' Robin Pecknold & Neal Morgan scored new Off-Broadway play 'Wyoming,' which runs this month|date=8 January 2015 }}{{cite web| url = https://www.nme.com/news/fleet-foxes/82151| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150112152850/http://www.nme.com/news/fleet-foxes/82151| archive-date = 2015-01-12| title = NME News Fleet Foxes frontman Robin Pecknold scores off-Broadway play 'Wyoming' {{!}} NME.COM| website = NME}}

On May 18, 2016, while answering fan questions on his Instagram account, Pecknold announced that his band Fleet Foxes was working on new material with Morgan as the drummer.{{cite web | url=https://instagram.com/p/BFiBvIRr-kq/ | title=Instagram }}

In late 2017/early 2018, Morgan arranged and performed drums and percussion for composer Brocker Way's score of the 2018 Netflix documentary series Wild, Wild Country. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5908250/ https://westernvinyl.com/shop/wv179

Morgan lives in Portland, OR and was born and raised in Nevada City, CA.