After trumpeter Lee Morgan set the music world on fire with the runaway success of his hit soul-jazz single “The Sidewinder” in 1964, many artists tried to duplicate his triumphant feat in search of another boogaloo sensation. Even Morgan himself cooked up funky follow-ups using “The Sidewinder” recipe including “The Rumproller,” which was recorded the next year. Beyond the groovy title tune (which was written by Andrew Hill) the quintet featuring Joe Henderson on tenor saxophone, Ronnie Mathews on piano, Victor Sproles on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums traverses diverse territory from the post-bop of “Desert Moonlight” to the calypso of “Eclipso” to the mournful closing ballad “The Lady” dedicated to Billie Holiday. The ingenious album cover design by Reid Miles is a memorable example of the brilliant typography that made his style so influential.
