Alun Morgan
Encyclopedia
Alun Morgan is a British jazz critic and writer.
Morgan became interested in jazz as a teenager during World War II, and Charlie Parker
became a significant influence on him in the late 1940s. Morgan began to write on jazz from the early 1950 for Melody Maker
, Jazz Journal, Jazz Monthly and Gramophone (and for 20 years from 1969 a weekly jazz column in a local Kent newspaper). Over his writing career he completed liner notes for over 2,500 albums, initially for Vogue Records
. From 1954 he contributed to music programmes on BBC radio. He is the author of an influential book on modern jazz in England and co-author of several books on jazz records. He has lectured on jazz at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama
and the Royal Academy of Music
in London.
In addition, until 1991 he was a full-time architect. Shortly after retiring from his other occupation, Morgan emigrated to Australia.
Morgan became interested in jazz as a teenager during World War II, and Charlie Parker
Charlie Parker
Charles Parker, Jr. , famously called Bird or Yardbird, was an American jazz saxophonist and composer....
became a significant influence on him in the late 1940s. Morgan began to write on jazz from the early 1950 for Melody Maker
Melody Maker
Melody Maker, published in the United Kingdom, was, according to its publisher IPC Media, the world's oldest weekly music newspaper. It was founded in 1926 as a magazine targeted at musicians; in 2000 it was merged into "long-standing rival" New Musical Express.-1950s–1960s:Originally the Melody...
, Jazz Journal, Jazz Monthly and Gramophone (and for 20 years from 1969 a weekly jazz column in a local Kent newspaper). Over his writing career he completed liner notes for over 2,500 albums, initially for Vogue Records
Vogue Records
Vogue Records was a short-lived United States based record label of the 1940s, noted for the artwork embedded in the records themselves. Founded in 1946 as part of Sav-Way Industries of Detroit, Michigan, the discs were initially a hit, because of the novelty of the colorful artwork, and the...
. From 1954 he contributed to music programmes on BBC radio. He is the author of an influential book on modern jazz in England and co-author of several books on jazz records. He has lectured on jazz at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama
Guildhall School of Music and Drama
Guildhall School of Music and Drama is an independent music and dramatic arts school which was founded in 1880 in London, England. Students can pursue courses in Music, Opera, Drama and Technical Theatre Arts.-History:...
and the Royal Academy of Music
Royal Academy of Music
The Royal Academy of Music in London, England, is a conservatoire, Britain's oldest degree-granting music school and a constituent college of the University of London since 1999. The Academy was founded by Lord Burghersh in 1822 with the help and ideas of the French harpist and composer Nicolas...
in London.
In addition, until 1991 he was a full-time architect. Shortly after retiring from his other occupation, Morgan emigrated to Australia.
Works
- with Raymond Horricks Modern Jazz - A survey of developments since 1939, London, Gollancz, 1956; Westport, CT, Greenwood Publishing, 1977
- Count Basie, (Jazz Masters series), Spellmount Publishers, 1984
- with Albert McCarthy, Paul Oliver, Max Harrison Jazz on record: a critical guide to the first 50 years, London: Hanover Books, 1968; New York: Oak Publications, 1968
- with Charles Fox, Peter Gammond, Alexis Korner Jazz On Record: A Critical Guide, Grey Arrow/Hutchinson, 1960
- Max Harrison, Ronald Atkins, Michael James, Jack Cooke Modern Jazz-The Essential Records, Aquarius Books, 1975
- with Keith Shadwick, Dave Gelly, Steve Voce, Brian Priestley The Gramophone Jazz Good CD Guide, Gramophone Publications, 1995, 1998