Al Morgan

Who was Al Morgan?

Albert Morgan was an American jazz double-bassist.

Morgan came from a musical family; Sam Morgan and Isaiah Morgan were both bandleaders and trumpeters, and Andrew Morgan was a jazz reedist. Morgan started on clarinet, then learned baritone sax, tuba, and bass. He took lessons with Simon Marrero around 1919, then played with brother Isaiah. He relocated briefly to Pensacola, Florida and played with Mack Thomas and Lee Collins before returning to New Orleans to play on riverboats with Fate Marable and Sidney Desvigne. He then played with Davey Jones and Cecil Scott and recorded with the Jones & Collins Astoria Hot Eight.

In the 1930s he played with Otto Hardwick and then spent four years with Cab Calloway. After leaving Calloway, he settled in California, playing live, on record, and on film. His film appearances include a feature on "Reefer Man" with the Calloway band in International House, with Louis Armstrong in Going Places, and in The Gene Krupa Story.

In the 1930's, Morgan led his own band and played as a sideman with Fats Waller, Les Hite, Zutty Singleton, Louis Jordan, and Sabby Lewis. From the 1950s to the 1970s, Morgan played extensively with Buddy Banks in a duo.