Tag Archives: hard bop

Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers: Hard Bop

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In October 1957, “Columbia” label released “Hard Bop”, the second Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers studio album. It was recorded in December 1956, at “Columbia 30th Street Studio” in New York City, and was produced by Alan Douglas.

Personnel:

  • Art Blakey – drums
  • Jackie McLean – alto saxophone
  • Bill Hardman – trumpet
  • Sam Dockery – piano
  • Spanky DeBrest – bass

Track listing:

  1. Cranky Spanky – Bill Hardman
  2. Stella by Starlight – Ned Washington, Victor Young
  3. My Heart Stood Still – Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers
  4. Little Melonae – Jackie McLean
  5. Stanley’s Stiff Chicken – Bill Hardman, Jackie McLean

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”.

Freddie Hubbard

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On December 29, 2008, Frederick Dewayne “Freddie” Hubbard died aged 70. He was musician (trumpet) and composer, known primarily for playing in the bebop, hard bop and post bop styles. He has performed and recorded with many famous musicians including George Benson, Walter Benton, Art Blakey, Tina Brooks, Kenny Burrell, George Cables, Betty Carter, Ornette Coleman, John Coltrane, Richard Davis, Eric Dolphy, Kenny Drew, Charles Earland, Bill Evan,  Joe Farrell, Curtis Fuller, Dizzy Gillespie, Clark Terry, Oscar Peterson, Benny Golson, Dexter Gordon, Slide Hampton, Herbie Hancock, Jimmy Heath, Joe Henderson, Andrew Hill, Bobby Hutcherson, Milt Jackson, Billy Joel, Elton John, J.J. Johnson, Quincy Jones, John Lewis, Kirk Lightsey, Ronnie Mathews, Jackie McLean, The Modern Jazz Quartet, Wes Montgomery, Hank Mobley, Alphonse Mouzon, Oliver Nelson, Duke Pearson, Sam Rivers, Max Roach, Sonny Rollins, Rufus, Poncho Sanchez, Don Sebesky, Wayne Shorter, Leon Thomas, Stanley Turrentine, McCoy Tyner, Cedar Walton and Randy Weston.

Cannonball Adderley

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On August 8, 1975, Julian Edwin “Cannonball” Adderley died aged 46. He was musician (alto saxophonist), active at the hard bop era of the 50s and 60s, has performed and recorded with some of the most important names of jazz music, including: Kenny Clarke, Nat Adderley, Sarah Vaughan, Dinah Washington, Milt Jackson, Miles Davis, Louis Smith, Gil Evans, John Benson Brooks, Paul Chambers, Philly Joe Jones, Jon Hendricks, Jimmy Heath. Sam Jones, Eddie “Cleanhead” Vinson, Ray Brown, Oscar Peterson, Joe Williams, Gene Ammons, David Axelrod and Raul de Souza. Adderley achieved success with 1966 single “Mercy Mercy Mercy”, a crossover hit on the pop charts and was member of the “dream team” on the Miles Davis essential album Kind of Blue.