The Sidewinder

1	The Sidewinder 10:21
2	Totem Pole 10:11
3	Gary's Notebook 6:10
4	Boy, What a Night 7:34
5	Hocus Pocus 6:25
6	Totem Pole Alternate Take 9:57

Barnes & Noble

If ever a distinct rhythm defined a song, it was Billy Higgins's cymbal-driven swing/funk groove on Lee Morgan's "Sidewinder." With bassist Bob Cranshaw, pianist Barry Harris, and Higgins laying down knife-cut half-time accents throughout, Morgan and tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson go to town. Their meaty solos here and, for that matter, on every tune on The Sidewinder, are marked by fierce, yet intelligently measured, improvisation. Morgan may have been the most positive-sounding trumpeter since Clifford Brown, with sheer grit behind each of his welcoming phrases. The winning combination of two steaming horn players, a crackling rhythm section, and a new emphasis on integrating funky rhythms made The Sidewinder an instant "soul-jazz" classic. Today it's appreciated by both hard-bop aficionados and club kids recognizing in its infectious beats the roots of acid jazz. Steve Futterman

All Music Guide

Carried by its almost impossibly infectious eponymous opening track, The Sidewinder helped foreshadow the sounds of boogaloo and soul-jazz with its healthy R&B influence and Latin tinge. While the rest of the album retreats to a more conventional hard bop sound, Morgan's compositions are forward-thinking and universally solid. Only 25 at the time of its release, Morgan was accomplished (and perhaps cocky) enough to speak of mentoring the great Joe Henderson, who at 26 was just beginning to play dates with Blue Note after getting out of the military. Henderson makes a major contribution to the album, especially on "Totem Pole," where his solos showed off his singular style, threatening to upstage Morgan, who is also fairly impressive here. Barry Harris, Bob Cranshaw, and Billy Higgins are all in good form throughout the album as well, and the group works together seamlessly to create an album that crackles with energy while maintaining a stylish flow. ~ Stacia Proefrock, All Music Guide