Customer Reviews

Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers: Tokyo 1961 & London 1965

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Wow. I mean wow. The first show from Tokyo in '61 will look familiar to drummers who have the "Legends of Jazz Drumming Part 2" video as the clip of "The Summit" is used. You really can't say too much about this group other than it is the apex of hard bop with Wayne Shorter, Bobby Timmons and Lee Morgan along for the ride. I kept saying "damn that's swinging!" out loud while watching the first time (and subsequently, also). There just isn't any group now that swings this hard. Video is a little rough, but the audio is great.

The '65 show is from the British "Jazz 625" TV show with John Gilmore and Lee Morgan. You get a nice dose of some of Gilmore's more "out" playing on a couple tunes. The setlist is great, ex.- they do The Egyptian, Buhaina's Delight and Night in Tunisia. The video and sound on the '65 show are outstanding for the era. I just can't say enough about this DVD, if you're a drummer or trumpet player, this should be required viewing.

This video, like some of this era, is on the poor side,
even for it's time. That said, the close-ups are better
and the cameramen do a good job. What makes this event
so great is that it captures the Messengers with some
of it's top talent. Their performance is top notch, it
would rate a five star easily, if not for the visual.
This is a must have for fans of these musicians. You may
have few chances to see Lee Morgan work his magic. His
life cut short way too early. I think the excitement
of these performances will offset the visual weakness.

The 1961 Japanese TV show tells it all. Art Blakey is playing Night In Tunisia with what appears to be a Sears Roebuck drum set. I always imagined a full Tony Williams-style drum kit to make all that thunderous yet musical rhythm with those drums. Watching Wayne Shorter at such a young age with his eyes rolling back in his head during the solo tells you the passion that Art Blakey saw in him. Watching Lee Morgan's trumpet soloing is like watching a finger ballet on the horn. His squeezed half-valve effects and dancing solos with his fingers are fascinating even with the sound off. Bobby Timmons is someone I never expected to see playing at his peak -- he came and went so quickly leaving Moanin', Dat Dere, Dis Here and Yama's Waltz for his wife behind. Timmons' solo on Dat Dere has that rockin' gospel solo he was so famous for. Jymie Merritt shows why he is so well-respected among his peers. Remember he WAS one of Coltrane's first bassists when he started his own quartet.

You have to wonder why Blakey's Jazz Messengers never got a featured write-up in DownBeat during their hey day; they probably sell more CDs today than any of their Blue Note peers even Jimmy Smith.

An amazing performance I have been watching often on my LaserDisc copy of this video.

Really liked this Dvd. This is a great one for jazz musicians and fans alike. The non-color lower video quality really isnt a big deal if your in it to watch some of the best musicians of thier time play.

We are fortunate to have videos of this great group - particularly Lee Morgan. I am a fan of the late Lee Morgan and bought both videos because he was in the group.
I have the video of the 1958 Jazz Messenger group which was a tremdous ensemble.
The soloing on this video is really not as good as 1958 group. Lee Morgan is not as soulful or inventive as were his former video performances. The ensemble with the Japanese big band is really very commercial and not well balanced. Wayne Shorter's solo on Blues March is not good at all - he was capable of so much more. The London performances all sound very perfunctory. This video, Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers:Tokyo 1961 & London 1965, is still Jazz played at a level we don't see today. It is still worth viewing.