Unfamiliar Art Blakey cd

[Stefan Wood]

I came across this cd while shopping this morning (in the midst of the hurricane, not too bright!). It's on Drive Archive, came out in 1995. Personnel includes: Chuck Mangione, Frank Mitchell, Keith Jarrett, and Reggie Workman. Recorded between January 1-9, 1966. Six tracks, all fairly long, including Buttercorn Lady, Recuerdo, The Theme, Between Races, My Romance, Secret Love. The sound quality is a solid B -- slightly muffled, but you can hear everyone quite well. Listening to this in the car, I was stuck by the very strong playing and tightness amongst the players. It wasn't commercial like the Limelight material, nor unfocused as the 60's were coming to an end. Mangione's playing in the 70's is what it is, but damn, he was a burning hard bop trumpet player! and Frank Mitchell was equally firey on this cd. They really stretch out on the tunes, almost at times sounding avant like the Impulse "New Wave" of that time. I'm curious if there were other recorded efforts by this lineupt.

[Free For All]

Apparently a reissue of this:

One of the more curious Messengers bands, although I have to agree that Mangione was a pretty decent hard bopper before he went in his "smoother" direction.

[Rooster_Ties]

Whoah, Frank Mitchell -- as in THIS Frank Mitchell???

May have to seek this one out.

[sidewinder]

Whoah, Frank Mitchell -- as in THIS Frank Mitchell???

Indeedy !

Not a masterpiece by any means - but certainly worth hearing. The audio quality on the original Limelight LP I have is also flat and muffled.

[Shrdlu]

I love this album. Chuck sounds great, Frank cooks, and you have to hear Keith Jarrett's solo on "My Secret Love" to believe it. The tempo on that one is unbelievably fast.

[DMP]

I've probably downgraded this album (which I've had since it came out, one of those elaborate "Limelight" packages) because of the lousy edit on the title track AND the inclusion of that long ballad. (I know, the Messengers had some great ballad performances on record, but this isn't one of them.)