Frank Morgan
Alto Sax Solo on
My Old Flame

About

Frank Morgan's half-chorus alto saxophone solo is the second and final solo on this ballad reading. Morgan comes in at the bridge following Carl Perkins and finishes out the tune with a sax cadenza. At 63 BPM in F over the second half of the 32-bar AABA form, Morgan's warm, expressive tone embellishes the familiar melody with subtle ornamental phrases. The deliberate tempo magnifies every note choice, revealing Morgan's remarkable restraint and his debt to Charlie Parker's ballad playing, where emotional depth takes precedence over technical display.

Frank Morgan was 21 to 22 years old at the time.