Tag Archives: Art Blakey

Art Blakey: Orgy in Rhythm

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In May 1957, “Blue Note” label released “Orgy in Rhythm”, the second Art Blakey album. It was released as two LP’s (Volume One and Volume Two) the same year. It was recorded in March 1957, at “Manhattan Towers” in New York City, and was produced by Alfred Lion.

Personnel:

  • Art Blakey – vocals, drums
  • Herbie Mann – flute
  • Ray Bryant – piano
  • Wendell Marshall – bass
  • Sabu Martinez – percussion, vocals
  • Ubaldo Nieto – percussion, timbales
  • Evilio Quintero – percussion, maracas, cencerro
  • Carlos “Patato” Valdes – percussion
  • Jo Jones – drums, tympani
  • Arthur Taylor – drums
  • Specs Wright – drums, tympani
  • Rudy Van Gelder – recording
  • Ira Gitler – liner notes
  • Harold Feinstein – design
  • Francis Wolff – cover photography

Track listing:

All tracks by Art Blakey.

Volume One

  1. Buhaina Chant
  2. Ya Ya
  3. Toffi
  4. Split Skins

Volume Two

  1. Amuck
  2. Elephant Walk
  3. Come Out and Meet Me Tonight
  4. Abdallah’s Delight

Art Blakey: Drum Suite

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In April 1957, “Columbia” label released “Drum Suite”, album by Art Blakey, side one is the Art Blakey Percussion Ensemble, side two is the Jazz Messengers. It was recorded June – December 1956, February 1957, at “Columbia 30th Street Studio” in New York City, and was produced by George Avakian.

Personnel:

  • Art Blakey – drums
  • Bill Hardman – trumpet
  • Donald Byrd – trumpet
  • Jackie McLean – alto saxophone
  • Ira Sullivan – tenor saxophone
  • Ray Bryant – piano
  • Sam Dockery – piano
  • Kenny Drew – piano
  • Oscar Pettiford – bass, cello
  • Spanky DeBrest – bass
  • Wilbur Ware – bass
  • Jo Jones – drums
  • Charles “Specs” Wright – drums, timpani, gong
  • Candido Camero – bongos
  • Sabu Martinez – bongos 

Track listing:

  1. The Sacrifice – Art Blakey
  2. Cubano Chant – Ray Bryant
  3. Oscalypso – Oscar Pettiford
  4. Nica’s Tempo – Gigi Gryce
  5. D’s Dilemma – Mal Waldron
  6. Just for Marty – Bill Hardman

Junior Mance

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On January 16, 2021, Julian Clifford Mance, Jr. aka Junior Mance died aged 92. He was musician (piano) and composer, one of the main figures of the Hard bop jazz scene. He recorded and performed with some of the biggest names of jazz, blues and soul music including Gene Amons, Lester Young, Charlie Parker, Coleman Hawkins, Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis, Sonny Stitt, Dinah Washington, Wynton Kelly, Cannonball Adderley, Dexter Gordon, Nat Adderley, Joe Gordon, Bennie Green, Al Grey, Ernie Andrews, Johnny Griffin, Art Blakey, Cliford Brown, Benny Carter, Buddy Guy, Jimmy Cleveland, Arnett Cobb, Red Holloway, Jose James, Ray Crawford, Harry “Sweets” Edison, Eddie Jefferson, Aretha Franklin, Etta Jones, Dizzy Gillespie, Irene Kral, Jay Leonhart, Les McCann, Paul Gonsalves, Howard McGhee, The Metronomes, Virgil Gonsalves, James Moody, Wild Bill Moore, Barbara Morrison, Sandy Mosse, Leo Parker, Ken Peplowski, Billie Poole, Bernard “Pretty” Purdie, Alvin Queen, Jimmy Scott, Arnold Sterling, Sonny Stitt, Clark Terry, Frank Vignola, Wilbur Ware, Ben Webster, Joe Williams, Marion Williams, and Leo Wright. As leader, Monce released 56 albums (live and studio). In 2007, Mance and his wife Gloria started their own record label “JunGlo”.

Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers: Mosaic

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In January 1962, “Blue Note” label released “Mosaic”, the 18th Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers album. It was recorded in October 1961, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, and was produced by Alfred Lion.

Personnel:

  • Art Blakey – drums
  • Freddie Hubbard – trumpet
  • Curtis Fuller – trombone
  • Wayne Shorter – tenor saxophone
  • Cedar Walton – piano
  • Jymie Merritt – bass

Track listing:

  1. Mosaic – Cedar Walton
  2. Down Under – Freddie Hubbard
  3. Children of the Night – Wayne Shorter
  4. Arabia – Curtis Fuller
  5. Crisis – Freddie Hubbard

Art Blakey: Art Blakey Big Band

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In January 1959, “Bethlehem” label released “Art Blakey Big Band”, the third Art Blakey album. It was recorded in December 1957, in New York City, and was produced by Lee Kraft.

Personnel:

  • Art Blakey – drums
  • Ray Copeland, Bill Hardman, Idrees Sulieman, Donald Byrd – trumpet
  • Frank Rehak, Jimmy Cleveland, Melba Liston – trombone
  • Bill Graham, Sahib Shihab – alto saxophone
  • Al Cohn, John Coltrane – tenor saxophone
  • Bill Slapin – baritone saxophone
  • Walter Bishop, Jr. – piano
  • Wendell Marshall – bass

Track listing:

  1. Midriff – Gerald Valentine
  2. Ain’t Life Grand – Al Cohn
  3. Tippin’ – Donald Byrd
  4. Pristine – John Coltrane
  5. El Toro Valiente – Charles Gambel, Chiefy Salaam
  6. The Kiss of No Return – Charles Gambel, Chiefy Salaam
  7. Late Date – Melba Liston
  8. The Outer World – Al Cohn

Duke Jordan: Duke Jordan Trio and Quintet

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In December 1955, “Signal” label released “Duke Jordan Trio and Quintet”, the third Duke Jordan album. It was recorded in October – November 1955, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, and was produced by Don Schlitten.

Personnel:

  • Duke Jordan – piano
  • Eddie Bert – trombone 
  • Cecil Payne – baritone saxophone
  • Percy Heath – bass
  • Art Blakey – drums

Track listing:

All tracks by Duke Jordan except where noted.

  1. Forecast
  2. Sultry Eve
  3. They Can’t Take That Away from Me – George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin
  4. A Night in Tunisia – Dizzy Gillespie, Frank Paparelli
  5. Summertime – George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin, DuBose Heyward
  6. Flight to Jordan
  7. Two Lovers
  8. Cu-Ba – Cecil Payne
  9. Yesterdays – Otto Harbach, Jerome Kern
  10. Scotch Blues

Thelonious Monk: With John Coltrane

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In October 1961, “Jazzland” label released “Thelonious Monk with John Coltrane”, album by Thelonious Monk. It was recorded April – July 1957, at “Reeves Sound Studios” in New York City, and was produced by Orrin Keepnews.

Personnel:

  • Thelonious Monk – piano
  • John Coltrane – tenor saxophone
  • Ray Copeland – trumpet 
  • Gigi Gryce – alto saxophone 
  • Coleman Hawkins – tenor saxophone
  • Wilbur Ware – bass
  • Shadow Wilson – drums 
  • Art Blakey – drums

Track listing:

All tracks by Thelonious Monk except where noted..

  1. Ruby, My Dear
  2. Trinkle, Tinkle
  3. Off Minor (take 4)
  4. Nutty
  5. Epistrophy – Kenny Clarke, Thelonious Monk
  6. Functional (take 1)

Art Blakey: Drums Around The Corner

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On October 19, 1999, “Blue Note” label released “Drums Around the Corner”, album by Art Blakey, recorded in 1958, but not released until 1999. The first session was recorded in November 1958, at “Manhattan Towers” in New York City, and was recorded by Rudy Van Gelder. The second session was recorded in March 1959, at the “Van Gelder Studio” in Hackensack, NJ, and was recorded by Rudy Van Gelder. The album was produced by Alfred Lion.

Personnel:

  • Art Blakey – drums, timpani
  • Lee Morgan – trumpet
  • Bobby Timmons – piano
  • Jymie Merritt – bass
  • Paul Chambers – bass
  • Philly Joe Jones – drums, timpani
  • Roy Haynes – drums
  • Ray Barretto – congas

Track listing:

All tracks by Art Blakey, except where noted.

  1. Moose the Mooche – Charlie Parker
  2. Blakey’s Blues
  3. Lee’s Tune – Lee Morgan
  4. Let’s Take 16 Bars
  5. Drums in the Rain
  6. Lover – Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart
  7. I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm – Irving Berlin
  8. What Is This Thing Called Love? – Cole Porter

Hank Mobley: Soul Station

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In October 1960, “Blue Note” label released “Soul Station”, the 17th Hank Mobley album. It was recorded in February 1960, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Englewood Cliffs, and was produced by Alfred Lion.

Personnel:

  • Hank Mobley – tenor saxophone
  • Wynton Kelly – piano
  • Paul Chambers – bass
  • Art Blakey – drums
  • Rudy Van Gelder – mixing
  • Reid Miles – design
  • Francis Wolff – cover photography

Track listing:

All tracks by Hank Mobley, except where noted.

  1. Remember – Irving Berlin
  2. This I Dig of You
  3. Dig Dis
  4. Split Feelin’s Soul Station
  5. If I Should Lose You – Ralph Rainger, Leo Robin

Cliff Jordan: Blowing In From Chicago

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In July 1957, “Blue Note” label released “Blowing in from Chicago”, the debut Clifford Jordan album. It was recorded in March 1957, at “Van Gelder Studio” in Hackensack, and was produced by Alfred Lion.

Personnel:

  • Clifford Jordan – tenor saxophone
  • John Gilmore- tenor saxophone
  • Horace Silver- piano
  • Curly Russell- bass
  • Art Blakey– drums

Track listing:

  1. Status Quo – John Neely
  2. Bo-Till – Clifford Jordan
  3. Blue Lights – Gigi Gryce
  4. Billie’s Bounce – Charlie Parker
  5. Evil Eye – Clifford Jordan
  6. Everywhere – Horace Silver