Download Art Blakey’s Jazz Message (Part 2)

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Download Art Blakey’s Jazz Message (Part 1)

Art Blakey

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Warning: The levels are a bit off between the music and the mic. Volume adjustment is required. Hopefully, I will get a better quality rip of the program up soon.

Celebrating Art Blakey’s Jazz Message (Part One)

“Jazz washes away the dust of everyday life.” – Art Blakey

The next two episodes of Bop and Beyond will be dedicated to the music of one man: Art Blakey– both as a leader with the Jazz Messengers and as a sideman.

Join me this Friday, 03/27/09, at 6pm as Bop and Beyond spins the music of Art Blakey in anticipation of the New School’s Art Blakey Tribute show at Sweet Rhythm on Monday, 03/30/09. Among the albums we will be enjoying…

In 1958, Art Blakey and his band rolled into Paris for a memorable run at the Club St. Germain. Playing to a packed house of raucous American ex-pats, including Hazel Scott to whom “Moanin” is dedicated, the band gets down like never before. This is the only official live recording of the seminal “Moanin” band of Lee Morgan, Benny Golson, Bobby Timmons, and Jymie Merritt that I have found and it is a scorcher.

A transitional band whose lone album together packs a mean punch thanks to the addition of Dizzy Reece on the congas. The extra rhythm really lets the band stretch out with Art and Dizzy continually pushing each other into a whirlwind percussion dynamo. This album also marks the entry of Wayne Shorter into the group and he contributes his first of many classic tunes to the Messenger songbook, the lovely “Lester Left Town.”

All this plus music from the Messengers lone album for Columbia Records and some wonderful Monk with Blakey, Hawkins, and Coltrane.

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(Please note that a download of this program will be available within a week of its initial broadcast date.)

Barney Wilen – Recado (1991) & No Hay Problema (1960)

Barney Wilen – Recado (1991)

Barney Wilen (tenor sax); Philip Catherine (guitar); Palle Danielsson (bass)

As far as I’m aware, this album was never released in the United States. Great playing by Wilen, whose only major US exposure was recordings with Miles Davis and Art Blakey in the late 50’s.

Speaking of which…

Art Blakey et les Jazz Messengers – No Hay Problema (1960)

Barney Wilen (ts); Lee Morgan (tp); Bobby Timmons (p); Jymie Merritt (b); Art Blakey (d); Willie Rodriguez (perc)

Moanin’ turns 50!

Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers – Moanin’ (LP version)

Benny Golson – tenor sax / Lee Morgan – trumpet / Bobby Timmons – piano / Jymie Merritt – bass / Art Blakey – drums

Recorded October 30th, 1958 for Blue Note Records

What’s interesting about this song besides its extremely catchy and memorable melody is the fact that Art doesn’t get to take a solo on arguably his most famous song. Even without the thunder, its a great tune, foot-stomping swing dipped in gospel soul. Here’s a live clip from a few years after the song was recorded with, in my opinion, the all-time great Messengers line-up:

Wayne Shorter – tenor sax / Freddie Hubbard – trumpet / Curtis Fuller – trombone / Cedar Walton – piano / Reginald Workman – bass / Art Blakey – drums

Great stuff!