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The Joshua Breakstone Trio: Children of Art: A Tribute to Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers
ByBlakey was a legendary talent scoutrecruiting musicians gifted as both players and composersand the selections here bear that out. There are a couple of obvious choices that were overlookedpianist Bobby Timmons' "Moanin'" was arguably the band's greatest hit, and Dizzy Gillespie's "A Night in Tunisia" was a touchstone in the early years. But saxophonist Benny Golson's swinging "Stablemates" (one of his best-known tunes, but never actually recorded by the Jazz Messengers) and pianist Horace Silver's lyrical ballad "Lonely Woman" (also never recorded while Silver was in the band, and featuring a lovely arco bass solo) are nearly as iconic.
Trumpeter Lee Morgan's "The Witch Doctor"from The Witch Doctor (Blue Note Records, 1968)leads off the set with a classic hard bop line, including dramatic stops. Wind and Zigmond trade eights during the solo section. Pianist Cedar Walton's "Holy Land" is a lyrical tune featuring unaccompanied guitar during the head, joined by the rhythm section for a low-key exposition. Saxophonist Wayne Shorter's "El Toro"from The Freedom Rider (Blue Note Records, 1964)is a Latin tune which is more straight-ahead than his later music, but still shows a distinctive compositional voice. Saxophonist Hank Mobley's "Breakthrough" demonstrates his compositional skill (underrated at least as much as his playing).
Breakstone's original title tune is a ballad employing the hard bop harmonic language of the Jazz Messengers selections. It ends the album in a reflective mood. Appropriate for a tribute, as well as a reminder that Blakey's music was not all up-tempo flag-wavers.
Track Listing
The Witch Doctor; Splendid; Holy Land; El Toro; Lonely Woman; Stablemates; Breakthrough; Children of Art.
Personnel
Joshua Breakstone
pianoJoshua Breakstone: guitar; Eliot Zigmund: drums; Martin Wind: bass.
Album information
Title: Children of Art: A Tribute to Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers | Year Released: 2019 | Record Label: Capri Records
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About Joshua Breakstone
Instrument: Piano
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