Customer Reviews

Hard Drive (Mlps)

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I count 10 albums recorded by Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers in 1957 alone, a prodigious year by any standard. A few ("Tough" on Cadet, "Cu-bop" on Jubilee) are fairly routine outings, but others ("Lerner & Loewe" on Victor, "With Monk" on Atlantic) are very good. This Bethlehem album goes into the latter group; in fact, only the somewhat dull tune "Late spring" keeps it from being perhaps the best album of the year for Blakey. Bill Hardman is on trumpet and Johnny Griffin on tenor in the front line, and both play superbly. Hard bop at its best.

Any recording featuring Bill Hardman's trumpet with Blakey's Messengers is a worthy find. And on this one, he's joined on the front-line by the "Little Giant," Johnny Griffin. The tunes are somewhat dated blues and bebop heads, but the inventiveness of the soloists surpasses that of many more heralded musicians from this or any later period. My only disappointment is that another Blakey-Hardman recording from this period (with Jackie McLean replacing Griffin)--"Tough"--has apparently never been reissued on CD. A pity, because Hardman is simply brilliant, more than compensating for the unavoidably sour after-taste of Jackie's alto.

This was the second jazz album (vinyl) I ever bought, still have it. It's great to hear the music without scratches. My vinyl LP got played alot as I'm sure this CD will. Art Blakey had an ear for talent as exhibited by virtually all of the lineups that comprised the the various editions of the Jazz Messengers. One could spend hours debating which group was the best; they were all great.
The music on this CD contains elements of 'cool' "For Minors Only". Bill Hardman's trumpet solo would make Miles jealous. The soulful "Right Down Front" Allows everyone to shine. Junior Mance and Hardman in particular. The 'bebop' shows up in "DEO-X". Blakey's drum intro let's you know immediately that something's up. The ensemble playing is tight and crisp and Johnny Griffen really moves out. Bill Hardman who's playing is excellent throughout makes his statement folllwed by a short precise comment by Junior Mance, and then the master, Art Blakey finally takes a solo that still gives me chills whenever I hear it.
There is a lot of good music on this album, and I'll shut up and leave it for the listener to discover, except for one piece. "Late Spring", the number that closes the session is one of the most lyrically swinging tunes I know. It's the most worn cut on my LP. Thank you for this CD.