Art Blakey appears in Belgium with his Jazz Messengers: Lee Morgan, Benny Golson,
Bobby Timmons, and Jymie Merritt. Dan Morgenstern provides liner notes.
Selections: Just By Myself, Moanin', I Remember Clifford, It's You or No One, Whisper Not, A
Night in Tunisia, NY Theme
Included is rare footage of Blakey and the Jazz Messengers with Lee Morgan - trumpet, Wayne Shorter - tenor sax, Walter Davis Jr. - piano, and Jymie Merrit - bass, filmed live in Paris in 1959. Along with 5 video clips are 2 audio tracks from the concert that were not filmed.
Selections: Blue March, Are You Real, Night in Tunisia, Close Your Eyes, Goldie
Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers were the quintessential "hard bop" ensemble, rooted in the core elements of Swing and Blues. As Jazz became more prevalent and expansive, the characteristic "hard bop" of
the Messengers became accepted as the global definition for Jazz music. Art
Blakey, it's eldest and most eloquent exponent was its master. This brilliant performance at Ronnie Scott's in London from February 21st 1985 is testament to this fact.
Art Blakey - Drums; Terence Blanchard - Trumpet; Donald Harrison - Alto Saxophone; Jean Toussaint - Tenor Saxophone; Mulgrew Miller - Piano; Lonnie Plaxico - Bass
Art Blakey was an acknowledged musical master, a founder of modern jazz drumming and a father figure to three generations of jazz superstars. His Jazz Messengers first appeared on the scene in 1954, and the alumni is a who's who of great jazz names including Lee Morgan, Donald Byrd, Johnny Griffin, Wayne Shorter, Keith Jarrett, and many more. Here, Wynton Marsalis makes his debut appearance as Blakey's trumpeter. From the first distinctive Blakey drum roll, the Messengers deliver a sizzling hard bop concert, playing Little Man, New York, Webb City and an extended version of Kurt Weill's My Ship, which features Wynton as trumpet soloist.
Both of these concerts are issued here on DVD for the first time ever. The first one presents Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers filmed at a studio in Tokyo, Japan, at the height of their fame. It offers one of the rare opportunities to see Lee Morgan on film (he was 23 at the time), as he was seldom captured by movie or TV cameras during his short life.
He was regrettably killed in 1972, at the early age of 33.
It is also interesting to see a young Wayne Shorter in his pre-Miles stage and talented pianist Bobby Timmons, whose celebrated composition Moanin' is performed here by the group. A Japanese big band joins the group for
the last two tunes.
Included is another complete rare appearance by the Jazz
Messengers with Lee Morgan, this time in London four years later, featuring
John Gilmore on tenor sax & John Hicks on piano.
In the case of Art Blakey, the name "jazz legend" is
wholly appropriate. Born in 1919, Blakey served his musical apprenticeship in
the bands of Billy Eckstine and Dizzy Gillespie where his reputation as a
drummer grew. The Jazz Messengers were formed in 1955 and were pivotal, until
Art's death in 1990, in nurturing the hard edged Be-bop sound and the jazz
greats of the future including Lee Morgan, Benny Golsen, Kenny Dorham, Hank
Mobley, Donald Byrd, Johnny Griffin, Wayne Shorter, Wynton Marsalis and Branford
Marsalis, to name just a few.
Art Blakey, drums; Wynton Marsalis, trumpet; Branford Marsalis, alto & baritone sax; Billy
Pierce, tenor sax; Donald Brown, piano; Charles Fambrough, bass.
Tokyo 1961: Lee Morgan, Trumpet; Wayne Shorter, Tenor Saxophone; Bobby Timmons, Piano; Art Blakey, Drums; Nobuo Hara Sharps and Flats big band, added on
Moanin' & Blues March.
London 1965: Lee Morgan, trumpet; John Gilmore, Tenor Saxophone; John Hicks, Piano; Victor Sproles, Bass; Art Blakey, drums.
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