Jazz Messenger Reunion, Art Blakey 85th Birthday Tribute Oct. 5-10 at the Iridium Jazz Club

IRIDIUM JAZZ CLUB CELEBRATING 10-YEAR ANNIVERSARY 1994-2004
10 Years Presenting the Finest in Jazz!

Oct. 5-10 Jazz Messenger Reunion, Art Blakey 85th Birthday Tribute
Valey Ponomarev (trumpet), David Schnitter (tenor), Bobby Watson (alto), Mulgrew Miller (piano Oct 5,6,7), John Hicks (piano Oct 8,9,10), Lonnie Plaxico (bass).

Guest artists:
Donald Harrison (alto) and Ralph Peterson (drums) -- Oct 5 -6; Javon Jackson (tenor) and Louis Hayes (drums)

Oct 7-8; Gary Bartz (alto) and Ben Riley (drums) - (Oct 9 -10.)

For more than 35 years Art Blakey reigned as the greatest drummer/leader in the history of jazz. Born in Pittsburgh, on October 11, 1919, Blakey began playing piano and switched to drums with his own small units, then joining swing groups led by Mary Lou Williams and Fletcher Henderson before taking his place with the Billy Eckstine Orchestra from 1944 - 1947, helping to usher in the bebop era with the band that featured Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Fats Navarro, Miles Davis, Dexter Gordon and many other stars. Following the break up of the Eckstine organization Blakey started his own big band the 17 Messengers and was featured with Bird and Miles and many other bop greats on 52nd Street. He gained fame leading a cooperative quintet with Clifford Brown, Lou Donaldson, Horace Silver and Curly Russell that recorded classic live albums at Birdland for Blue Note Records.

In 1955 Blakey formed the Jazz Messengers with Kenny Dorham (succeeded by Donald Byrd), Hank Mobley, Horace Silver, and Doug Watkins. When Silver left the band Blakey took over the group