Jazz Articles about Art Blakey

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Art Blakey And The Jazz Messengers: Coast To Coast

by AAJ Staff
December 1, 2000

Now that Concord Jazz is in the midst of a number of reissues from the label’s classic albums, jazz listeners are fortunate that Carl Jefferson had the foresight and opportunity to record the Jazz Messengers’ mid-eighties band in live performances a continent apart. With one disk recorded in New York’s Mikell’s and the other recorded almost a year later in San Francisco’s Kimball’s, the set offers a complement for comparing the two gigs and augmenting Art Blakey’s discography with even ...

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Art Blakey And The Jazz Messengers: Reflections Of Buhaina

by Jim Santella
November 1, 2000

A reissue, Reflections Of Buhaina contains two albums: one by Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers and one by the Bill Hardman Quintet. Study In Rhythm (Elektra 120 and Savoy MG 1217) features trumpeter Hardman and saxophonist Jackie McLean as Jazz Messengers. The Bill Hardman Quintet (Savoy MG 12170) features the trumpeter with Sonny Red, Ronnie Mathews, Doug Watkins and Jimmy Cobb. They’re performing the last four tracks listed below.

“Reflections of Buhaina” changes meter as well as drum set ...

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Art Blakey: Reflections Of Buhaina

by AAJ Staff
August 1, 2000

“Reflections Of Buhaina", written by tuba player Ray Draper, is a tune on the new Savoy Jazz reissue called “Reflections Of Buhaina". “Buhaina" is shorthand for Blakey's Muslim name, Abdullah Iba Buhaina. “Bu" is an even shorter version of the name, a nickname, so to speak. Thus, one would think that “Reflections Of Buhaina" would, ergo, involve thought provided by Abdullah Iba Buhaina.That's partially right.The first seven tracks present a rumbling, rolling, roiling, irresistible force known ...

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Art Blakey and the Afro-Drum Ensemble: The African Beat

by Jim Santella
March 1, 2000

Bridging cultures, Art Blakey combined powerful African rhythms and American jazz melodies on a session that Blue Note reissued recently because the album explores roots common to all of jazz. Blakey’s ensemble for this 1962 project included artists from both worlds: Solomon G. Ilori and James Ola. Folami are from Nigeria, Chief Bey is from Senegal, and Montego Joe is from Jamaica.

Man, does Art Blakey play loud on this session! Gentle melodic instruments are served with severe punctuation as ...

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Art Blakey And The Jazz Messengers: The Witch Doctor

by Jim Santella
February 1, 2000

With Wayne Shorter and Lee Morgan in the front line, this was one of Art Blakey’s best Jazz Messenger units. Bobby Timmons, of course, could swing the section from start to finish. Shorter, Morgan, and Timmons were with the Jazz Messengers together through most of 1960 and 1961.

The Witch Doctor was recorded March 14, 1961. Blue Note has included an alternate take of “The Witch Doctor" with a slightly brighter tempo. While Shorter’s solo is more intense, Morgan’s isn’t ...

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Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers: The Witch Doctor

by C. Andrew Hovan
January 1, 2000

Like the other newly-reissued Blakey set, Roots and Herbs, the music contained on The Witch Doctor was recorded in 1961 and came out on LP much after the fact. It too features the great line-up with Morgan, Shorter, and Timmons, but this time the writing is more a group effort, with two cuts apiece from Morgan and Shorter, plus one from Timmons and tenor saxophonist Clifford Jordan. And while the material may not quite be as strong as that of ...

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Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers: Roots and Herbs

by C. Andrew Hovan
January 1, 2000

Arguably one of the best bands to ever be assembled under the Jazz Messengers moniker, drummer Art Blakey’s crew from the late ‘50s and early ‘60s included such legendary figures as Lee Morgan, Wayne Shorter, and Bobby Timmons. Blue Note producer Alfred Lion surely knew he had a good thing going because he kept these guys extremely busy in Rudy Van Gelder’s studio, recording more material than ultimately the market could afford to bear. As a result, the performances that ...