"Neil's Blues" is a Frank Morgan original built on the 12-bar blues form in F major, taken at a relaxed medium tempo around 140 BPM. The track is notable for its extended blowing session format, featuring five soloists in succession, making it one of the most jam-oriented performances on the album. Carl Perkins leads off with two choruses of piano, establishing the bluesy mood with his distinctive harmonic approach. Morgan follows with the longest solo statement on the track, stretching across four choruses of alto saxophone and demonstrating his deep command of the blues idiom, moving beyond Parker's vocabulary to develop his own narrative across the extended solo space. Conte Candoli contributes two choruses of trumpet, followed by Wardell Gray's two choruses on tenor saxophone, where his robust tone and rhythmic drive add a grittier dimension. Howard Roberts rounds out the solo order with two choruses of electric guitar, his clean-toned, articulate style reflecting his background as one of Los Angeles's premier studio and jazz guitarists. The piece functions as an informal showcase for the entire group, and the relaxed medium-swing tempo gives each soloist room to stretch out and develop ideas without the pressure of a fast tempo. As a Morgan original, the tune reflects his compositional interest in providing frameworks for collective improvisation.
