I saw him live twice in the later years, once with Philip Harper, Jean Toussaint, Benny Green (his first gig with the group) in Wilmington ca. 1988, and later with Brian Lynch (who was outstanding), both Dale Barlow and Javon Jackson, Steve Davis, Geoff Keezer, and Essiet Essiet at Penn's Landing ca. 1990=91.   I still remember what he said at the end of the Wilmington show:  "This music is a gift from the Creator, through us, to you".  Found that very moving.

I´m really happy and grateful for all the gifts I get, when I listen to things like this: 

I think„in this Korner” was my first Blakey LP, but is that „late”, I mean that was in the seventies, and Im sure Blakey had more 20 years to live. I heard one of Levercusen in Germany that´s fine especially the tracks without old alumni, I mean what the young band plays I like much. But they did cut out the most important and rare thing. I saw it on a film, Blakey talked to Silvia Droste, a very fine looking girl, and I had to laugh because the way he sometimes has difficulties to hear, it´s similar to me. My girl friend if I dont hear she shouts as loud as anyone can, I mean even loud for me😍  But Blakey then plays piano, I didn´t know he plays that good. Plays Monk´s Thelonious such a brillance, and plays Moten Swing really fine.  And he plays and sings "For all we know we never meet again" that´s such a beautiful thing. I think that was much later.  I saw them very often, all different editions, the one with the Valery Ponomarev and Bobby Watson, the one with Marsalis, the stuff with Donald Harrison Terence Blanchard, Mulgrew Miller, later Geoff Keezer, Benny Green (not the trombone player!) so I think I saw many different Messengers bands.  And I always was in the front row, nearest to the drums, to HEAR and FEEL the stuff he hits on the drums 😄

1978 • Keystone Korner Valery Ponomarev, trumpet Bobby Watson, alto sax David Schnitter, tenor sax James Williams, piano Dennis Irwin, bass Art Blakey, drums     Shoulda posted this one instead...  

Cue to 9:30 to hear Izenson's unaccompanied bass solo "Taurus."