Ceora – 2017
Greg Abate
A lightly swinging version of what is arguably Lee Morgan’s greatest composition
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On Sept. 18, 1965 on his Cornbread album, trumpeter Lee Morgan recorded “Ceora,” a beautiful ballad with fresh chord changes and a light groove.
52 years later at a house party in England, the excellent bebop-oriented altoist Greg Abate performed his own version of the classic.
With fine playing by pianist David Newton, bassist Dave Turner, and drummer Gareth “Gaz” Hughes, Abate (whose playing here sometimes recalls Phil Woods) performs “Ceora,” adding his own ideas to the song while also paying respect to the original recording.
-Scott Yanow
