Later Art Blakey

[DMP]

I have almost nothing by Blakey after 1973, so, what am I missing? Anything stand out? Maybe "Album of the Year?" Any "must haves?" Could I get a few suggestions? (I am familiar with his Roulette albums from the mid-'70's, they're pretty good, but have never seen a reissue.)

[kh1958]

My favorite Blakey groups from the late 1970s on have Bobby Watson as the musical director. Next best is the period with Terrance Blanchard as the musical director. Without one of those two on the record, I usually skip it.

This recent issue has two versions of the Messengers with Watson, and the Blanchard edition.

http://www.amazon.com/Art-Blakey-Jazz-Messengers-Sesjun/dp/B004GGO48I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1310407995&sr=8-1

[felser]

My favorite Blakey groups from the late 1970s on have Bobby Watson as the musical director. Next best is the period with Terrance Blanchard as the musical director. Without one of those two on the record, I usually skip it.

This recent issue has two versions of the Messengers with Watson, and the Blanchard edition.

http://www.amazon.com/Art-Blakey-Jazz-Messengers-Sesjun/dp/B004GGO48I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1310407995&sr=8-1

The group with Watson and Wynton Marsalis was great. 'Album of the Year' and the Live at Bubba's stuff (available on many different budget labels by many different names) stand out in my mind. Also, 'Gypsy Folk Tales', Watson's debut, is great, but hard to find. Never really quite the same after Watson left to my ears (his writing really stood out), though they could still bring it live and had a dazzling array of young talent pass through (Blanchard and Harrison, Wallace Roney, Philip Harper, Brian Lynch, Jean Toussaint, Branford Marsalis, Benny Green, Steve Davis, Javon Jackson, etc etc etc).

[JSngry]

The only one I really would recommend for anything other than a "see, The Messengers could still do it!" vibe is Keystone 3, although the two Roulette sides (Backgammon & the aforementioned Gypsy Folk Songs) are pretty damn nice, if also a little sloppy and foreshadowing of the whole "retro" thing that the Messengers would eventually become (not that there's anything wrong with that...).

[Stefan Wood]

I am also partial to the Roulette lps.

Edited July 11, 2011 by Stefan Wood

[jeffcrom]

I've said before around here that my favorite later Blakey/Messengers album is Feelin' Good on the Delos label, from 1986. It's not very well known, maybe because Delos was a classical label that dabbled in jazz. I guess it could be said to be in the "retro" bag Jim mentioned (it's half new tunes and half Messenger classics), but the level of playing is so high that it transcends any sense of nostalgia. The horns are Wallace Roney, Kenny Garrett, Jean Toussaint, and Tim Williams; Donald Brown is the pianist, and Peter Washington is on bass. I think this is Garrett's only appearance on a Blakey album, although I'm too lazy to look that up. Anyway, I like this band more than the Wynton band or the Blanchard/Harrison band.

[JSngry]

Never knew about that one, Jeff, but Garrett at that time and in this band is something that I think I would enjoy. He was a much more "cattin'" player than he later became, and a good cattin' is something I always enjoy. Jean Toussaint (also on Keystone 3) was a big plus in that band too, at least to my tastes.

Is this thing still in print?

[mikeweil]

Is this thing still in print?

Could be - amazon lists it, and has plenty cheap used copies, too.

[JSngry]

Perhaps enjoyment awaits!

[jeffcrom]

Never knew about that one, Jeff, but Garrett at that time and in this band is something that I think I would enjoy. He was a much more "cattin'" player than he later became, and a good cattin' is something I always enjoy. Jean Toussaint (also on Keystone 3) was a big plus in that band too, at least to my tastes.

Is this thing still in print?

Like Mike says, it seems to be. The link in my original post leads to Amazon. Kenny Garrett is indeed excellent here; just after this he quit the Messengers to join (rejoin?) Miles Davis, and Blakey was reportedly pretty pissed.

[DMP]

The Roulette albums are good - the Messengers bib over-all phase - but have they ever been reissued?

[Spontooneous]

The Roulette albums are good - the Messengers bib over-all phase - but have they ever been reissued?

There was a two-disc compilation from the European affiliate, called "Blues March: The Roulette Years." Came out in the '90s. Looks official, but maybe it isn't. I've heard from one of the players in Blakey's band in this period that there was a strong organized-crime influence at the Roulette label in the '70s.

[JSngry]

I've heard from one of the players in Blakey's band in this period that there was a strong organized-crime influence at the Roulette label in the '70s.

Morris Levy, dude. And not just in the 70s.

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

i have this one on Catalyst records, w/ joanne brakeen and azar lawrance- sound is horrible but theres this one cool blakey drum like he used to do with the band on percussion.

and yea....morris levy, dude.

[marcello]

Yep, I have that one too:

Art Blakey And The Jazz Messengers - Jazz Messengers '70 (Catalyst CAT 7902)

Bill Hardman (tp) Carlos Garnett (ts) JoAnne Brackeen (p) Jan Arnet (b) Art Blakey (d)

Tokyo, Japan, February 19, 1970

Moanin'

Blues March

Whisper Not

What The World Needs Now Is Peace And Love

It's Only A Paper Moon

Politely

A Night In Tunisia

[kh1958]

A few additional recommendations:

Album of the Year (Timeless)

Blue Night (Timeless)

In My Prime I

New Year's Eve At Sweet Basil

In This Korner

[MartyJazz]

I've said before around here that my favorite later Blakey/Messengers album is Feelin' Good on the Delos label, from 1986. It's not very well known, maybe because Delos was a classical label that dabbled in jazz. I guess it could be said to be in the "retro" bag Jim mentioned (it's half new tunes and half Messenger classics), but the level of playing is so high that it transcends any sense of nostalgia. The horns are Wallace Roney, Kenny Garrett, Jean Toussaint, and Tim Williams; Donald Brown is the pianist, and Peter Washington is on bass. I think this is Garrett's only appearance on a Blakey album, although I'm too lazy to look that up. Anyway, I like this band more than the Wynton band or the Blanchard/Harrison band.

I saw this band around the time of this recording at Sweet Basil in NYC and they were great. I recall that we went because one of my wife's friends, a female ophthalmologist, knowing that I'm into jazz asked me a few days before the gig if I "ever heard of Art Blakey". As I educated her as to Blakey's importance, she told me that Blakey had just that week come to her office for an eye checkup and he told her what he did for a living when she inquired that of him. So I then suggested that we double that coming weekend and check him out at Sweet Basil. Between sets, Blakey stopped at our table for some brief pleasantries when he recognized the ophthalmologist he had recently visited. Needless to say, she was thrilled particularly as there was so much "electricity" in the club that evening in terms of the audience responsiveness to the music, and I must confess I was somewhat thrilled as well, jaded as I am. Nice memory.

Edited July 12, 2011 by MartyJazz

[JSngry]

How were Bu's eyes?

[MartyJazz]

How were Bu's eyes?

Professional ethics precluded that she would tell us what, if anything, was his problem, but his vision did not appear to be problematic to me. However, as we all know from his many years on the bandstand promoting a "vigorous" brand of jazz, it was primarily his hearing that suffered later in life.

[Dan Gould]

I was going to say, how were his eyes? Better than his ears.

[JSngry]

Yeah, that mention got me to thinking back on my days on the road, and how from time to time you'd need a dentist or an eye doctor in a strange town, and how...."interesting" for everybody that could be sometimes.

[BillF]

I've said before around here that my favorite later Blakey/Messengers album is Feelin' Good on the Delos label, from 1986. It's not very well known, maybe because Delos was a classical label that dabbled in jazz. I guess it could be said to be in the "retro" bag Jim mentioned (it's half new tunes and half Messenger classics), but the level of playing is so high that it transcends any sense of nostalgia. The horns are Wallace Roney, Kenny Garrett, Jean Toussaint, and Tim Williams; Donald Brown is the pianist, and Peter Washington is on bass. I think this is Garrett's only appearance on a Blakey album, although I'm too lazy to look that up. Anyway, I like this band more than the Wynton band or the Blanchard/Harrison band.

I saw this band around the time of this recording at Sweet Basil in NYC and they were great. I recall that we went because one of my wife's friends, a female ophthalmologist, knowing that I'm into jazz asked me a few days before the gig if I "ever heard of Art Blakey". As I educated her as to Blakey's importance, she told me that Blakey had just that week come to her office for an eye checkup and he told her what he did for a living when she inquired that of him. So I then suggested that we double that coming weekend and check him out at Sweet Basil. Between sets, Blakey stopped at our table for some brief pleasantries when he recognized the ophthalmologist he had recently visited. Needless to say, she was thrilled particularly as there was so much "electricity" in the club that evening in terms of the audience responsiveness to the music, and I must confess I was somewhat thrilled as well, jaded as I am. Nice memory.

Nice story!

[brownie]

One of the better late Blakey album was 'Art Blakey in Sweden' with the 1981 band with Wynton Marsalis, Bobby Watson, Bill Pierce, James Williams and Charles Fambrough. Great live session!

Edited July 12, 2011 by brownie

[Mark Stryker]

Never knew about that one, Jeff, but Garrett at that time and in this band is something that I think I would enjoy. He was a much more "cattin'" player than he later became, and a good cattin' is something I always enjoy. Jean Toussaint (also on Keystone 3) was a big plus in that band too, at least to my tastes.

Is this thing still in print?

I've been around the scene a long time but I'm not sure I really know what "cattin'" means in this context. Elucidate please ...

[JSngry]

"Cattin'" means that you're playing a lot of licks with that "tom cat" attitude.

Lee Morgan was one of the kings of it.

Further extrapolation:

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=cattin%27%20it%20up