NTS Guide to: Live At Slugs Saloon

Recordings from the infamous and short-lived jazz venue and bar Slugs In The Far East. Located in a run down part of Manhattan's East Village, this former Ukrainian restaurant was opened in 1964 as Slug's Saloon, and soon became a hot-spot for New York's more fringe-leaning jazz musicians, with Art Blakey, Sun Ra, McCoy Tyner, Pharoah Sanders and many more performing there semi-regularly til the bar's closing in 1972. Perhaps the most infamous incident at Slugs was the murder of trumpeter Lee Morgan, who was shot dead by his wife while performing. If you're keen to learn more about the legacy of Slugs' Saloon and the life of Lee Morgan, NTS recommends "I Called Him Morgan", the 2016 documentary directed by Kasper Collin, exploring the fateful relationship of Lee and his partner Helen. It's available via streaming now.