Frank Morgan
Alto Sax Solo on
Whippet

About

Frank Morgan's three-chorus alto saxophone solo opens the improvisation on this Latin-feel Morgan original. Over the 32-bar ABAC form at 142 BPM in A-flat, Morgan builds a compelling narrative that takes advantage of the tune's harmonic twists and the Latin pulse beneath his lines. As the first of three solos and the longest statement on the track, his three choruses weave between bebop vocabulary and rhythmic figures that acknowledge the Latin context. The less common ABAC form gives him shifting harmonic terrain to navigate, and his solo reflects the form's structure rather than simply running changes.

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