Home »
Jazz Articles » Album Review » Art Blakey: Midnight Session
Art Blakey: Midnight Session
![Art Blakey: Midnight Session]( "Art Blakey: Midnight Session")
In the fall of 1956, Blakey introduced a new edition of the Jazz Messengers with Jackie McLean (alto), Bill Hardman (trumpet), Sam Dockery (piano) and Spanky DeBrest(bass). Over the next 25 years Blakey's bands would go through many personnel changes (sometimes it seems as if everyone in jazz has worked with Art) but the hard bop sound of this prototypical unit became the model for all of Art's aggregations. Originally released on the Savoy label, Midnight Session is another in a series of Savoy reissues by Denon Records. Through the use of a unique 20-bit mastering process Denon has managed to capture and enhance the sound of one of jazz's most vibrant eras. Blakey and his "boys" swing through a six song set of bop that, while containing no jazz "classics," gives the listener a nice taste of the genre. Art's forceful drumming often brought out the best in his sidemen and in this case Hardman and McLean respond with youthful vigor. He may have lead "stronger" lineups in the future but this is still high art from Blakey!
Personnel
Album information
Title: Midnight Session
| Year Released: 1998
| Record Label: Savoy Jazz
PREVIOUS / NEXT
Support All About Jazz
All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who make it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.
Go Ad Free!
To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to
future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by
making a donation today.
