LEE MORGAN: CITY LIGHTS

Performer: Lee Morgan, trumpet; Curtis Fuller, trombone; Paul Chambers, double bass; George Coleman, tenor saxophone; Ray Bryant, piano; Art Taylor, drums
Composer: Lee Morgan
Number of discs: 1
Barcode: 0602458119978
Label: Blue Note (Tone Poet)
Format: LP
Genre: Jazz
Year: 2026

180-gram LP

Remastered from the original analog master tapes by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio

Pressed at RTI

Joe Harley—co-founder and co-producer of the highly successful “Tone Poet” audiophile vinyl reissue series—has been chosen to curate this new collection of fully analog remasters sourced from the original tapes, pressed on 180-gram audiophile LPs, and presented in deluxe gatefold sleeves. The remastering was carried out by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio, while pressing was handled by the renowned American company Record Technology Incorporated (RTI).

The titles in this series have been selected one by one with the utmost care by Harley himself and include lesser-known Blue Note classics, major modern successes, and some albums originally released on other labels connected to the Blue Note catalog. Every aspect of these reissues has been treated with extraordinary attention to detail—from the cover artwork to the exceptional sound quality achieved through Kevin Gray’s remastering from the original analog tapes, to the flawless vinyl pressing by RTI. All elements of these Blue Note Tone Poet releases have been crafted to reach the highest possible quality standards. In other words—no matter how hard you look—you won’t find a better version. These records are simply unmatched.

Nicknamed the “Tone Poet,” Joe Harley set out with the ambitious goal of creating an audiophile reissue series that allows 21st-century listeners to hear the music exactly as the musicians did—from the original analog tapes and the studio monitors of Rudy Van Gelder, fifty or sixty years ago. Harley firmly believes that, in terms of quality, Blue Note albums have never reached levels comparable to those of this series. As he stated in a recent interview: “Every aspect of these Blue Note reissues has been refined down to the smallest detail. This means you won’t find an edition of comparable quality.”

The great trumpeter Lee Morgan was just 19 years old and at the beginning of his long and fruitful collaboration with Blue Note when, in August 1957, he entered the studio to record City Lights, an album filled with wonderfully swinging moods. For this outstanding session, Morgan was joined by a top-tier sextet featuring trombonist Curtis Fuller, saxophonist George Coleman (alto and tenor), pianist Ray Bryant, bassist Paul Chambers, and drummer Art Taylor.

At the time, the brilliant young trumpet prodigy was already astonishing audiences as a featured member of the Dizzy Gillespie Big Band, and this excellent five-track album further confirmed his extraordinary talent. The program includes three original compositions by Morgan’s mentor Benny Golson (“City Lights,” “Tempo De Waltz,” and “Just By Myself”), alongside a stunning ballad-style rendition of the standard “You’re Mine, You” and the irresistible closing track “Kin Folks” by Gigi Gryce.

Personnel:
Lee Morgan, trumpet; Curtis Fuller, trombone; Paul Chambers, double bass; George Coleman, tenor saxophone; Ray Bryant, piano; Art Taylor, drums

Side A

• City Lights
• Tempo De Waltz
• You’re Mine You

Side B

• Just By Myself
• Kin Folks