Sonic Boom (Lee Morgan album)

{{Infobox album

| name = Sonic Boom

| type = studio

| artist = Lee Morgan

| cover = Sonic_boom.jpeg

| alt =

| released = 1979

| recorded = April 14 & 28, 1967

| venue =

| studio = Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ

| genre = Jazz, hard bop

| length = 37:25 original LP
74:19 CD reissue

| label = Blue Note
LT 987

| producer = Alfred Lion (#1-6)
Francis Wolff (#7-13)

| prev_title = Standards

| prev_year = 1967

| next_title = The Procrastinator

| next_year = 1969

| misc = {{Extra album cover

| header = Alternative cover

| type = Studio

| cover = Sonic Boom (Lee Morgan album).jpg

| border =

| alt =

| caption = Japanese edition

}}

{{Extra album cover

| header = Alternative cover

| type = studio

| cover = Sonic Boom CD.jpg

| border =

| alt =

| caption = 2003 CD reissue

}}

Sonic Boom is an album by jazz trumpeter Lee Morgan, recorded on April 14 and 28, 1967, but not released on the Blue Note label until 1979.

The 2003 CD reissue added seven tracks recorded on September 12 & October 10, 1969, which were first released on the original double LP edition of The Procrastinator. Therefore, the CD edition includes performances by Morgan with two line-ups: the first one with tenor saxophonist David "Fathead" Newman, pianist Cedar Walton, bassist Ron Carter, and drummer Billy Higgins, whilst the second features trombonist Julian Priester, tenor saxophonist George Coleman, pianist Harold Mabern, bassist Walter Booker, and drummer Mickey Roker. The Sonic Boom session is notable for the rare contribution of David "Fathead" Newman,{{cite web |last1=Blue Note Records |title=10 by 3: Mobley, Morgan and Byrd in 1967 |url=https://www.bluenote.com/spotlight/10-by-3-mobley-morgan-and-byrd-in-1967/ |website=Blue Note Spotlight |publisher=Blue Note Records |access-date=15 September 2021}} who made only two Blue Note appearances during his career, the other being with Lonnie Smith.

Reception

{{Album ratings

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1Score = {{rating|4|5}}

| rev2 = The Guardian

| rev2Score = {{rating|3|5}}{{cite news |last1=Fordham |first1=John |title=Lee Morgan, Sonic Boom |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2004/jan/02/jazz.shopping |access-date=30 April 2024 |work=The Guardian |issue=Jan. 02 |publisher=Guardian News & Media Limited |date=2004}}

| rev3 = The Penguin Guide to Jazz

| rev3Score = {{rating|3|4}}{{cite book |last1=Cook |first1=Richard |author-link=Richard Cook (journalist) |last2=Morton |first2=Brian |author-link2=Brian Morton (Scottish writer) |title=The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings |year=2008 |edition=9th |publisher=Penguin |isbn=978-0-141-03401-0 |page=1041}}

| rev4 = The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide

| rev4Score = {{rating|3|5}}{{Cite book

|editor-last=Swenson

|editor-first=J.

| author-link =

| year = 1985

| title = The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide

| publisher = Random House/Rolling Stone

| location = USA

| isbn = 0-394-72643-X

| pages = 147

}}

Wrtiting for AllAboutJazz, Germein Linares described Sonic Boom as "an underrated gem" and "vintage Morgan", highlighting the "remarkable" pairing of Morgan and Newman in the session's frontline.{{cite news |last1=Linares |first1=Germein |title=Lee Morgan: Sonic Boom |url=https://www.allaboutjazz.com/sonic-boom-lee-morgan-blue-note-records-review-by-germein-linares |access-date=30 April 2024 |work=AllAboutJazz |issue=20 Jan. |publisher=All About Jazz & Jazz Near You. |date=2004}} In a more muted review for The Guardian, jazz critic John Fordham described Morgan's improvisations as "models of shrewdly paced virtuosity" and noted Newman's propensity for 'imaginative' playing, something often obscured in his other more commercial sessions. Newman's importance to the session was also identified by Scott Yanow for AllMusic, who concluded that Sonic Boom was an "undeservedly obscure session".{{cite web |last1=Yanow |first1=Scott |title=Sonic Boom Review |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/sonic-boom-mw0000319046#userReviews |website=AllMusic |access-date=30 April 2024}}