Customer Reviews

Indestructible

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The previous review of this '64 Jazz Messengers sextet classic is accurate and professional in quality, so I won't try to repeat, except to add that if you thought you had heard all Blakey's major recordings and would like the joy of discovering yet another classic from the master drummer/band-leader, this is the one to add to your collection. There is only one slow cut, Cedar Walton's 'When Love Is New.' The rest is heat, but the hard bop heat is tempered to medium by the modal influence of Miles Davis' work - which these guys were obviously listening to in this year just before Wayne Shorter switched over to the Davis lineage. This CD has one composition each by Cedar Walton and Lee Morgan, two each by Curtis Fuller and Wayne Shorter. Shorter's 'Mr. Jon' and 'It's a Long Way Down' sound much like those in his classic album of this period, 'Speak No Evil.' I believe that this was Shorter's finest time, both as a composer and as a tenor sax player - he's full of sizzling funk as well as slightly outside harmonics and gravelly double-tones.(Yes, if you've read my hated reviews of Shorter's latest CD's, you know I believe he was much better in '64 than he's ever been since then. And he's all tenor here - no soprano). The group's new bassist, Regge Workman, is primed from working with the likes of Sonny Rollins: he gives the Messengers a deep edge, a rudder that veers slightly outside the blues into the uncharted waters of post-bop.

I would venture to say that this is among Blakey's five greatest CD's: its right up there with Moanin'. Peak performances by six musicians at their career summits. This session has the tight grooves of 'Moanin' with the outside edges of Blakey's wilder recordings. It's the quintessential Messenger's recording for both the experienced and first-time listener. What a delighful discovery if you, like me, thought you'd already heard their best!

Art Blakey's "Indestructible!" was recorded over three sessions in the spring of 1964 for Blue Note. The drummer's final album for the label, it was also the last featuring the great sextet line-up. "Indestructible!" was originally released on CD in the late 1980s (and briefly again in the early 90s in the Collector's Choice reprint program), but apparently the bean-counters at Capitol didn't heed the album's title, because it was unceremoniously deleted more than a dozen years ago. Well, thankfully it makes a welcome return to the catalog here in the RVG series, with remastered sound to boot. Unfortunately, "Indestructible!" has too often sat in the shadows of its remarkable predecessors, "Mosaic" and "Free For All." It has done so needlessly because "Indestructible!" is a truly first rate modern jazz album, with memorable original compositions, incredible front-line interplay and soaring solos. The majority of the band -- Wayne Shorter, Curtis Fuller, Cedar Walton and Art -- had been working together for over three years and their chemistry is unparalleled. And while Lee Morgan does replace Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, and Reggie Workman the bass for Jymie Merritt, both "newcomers" had actually been members of the Jazz Messengers during large portions of the previous five years. Hopefully with its permanent return to the catalog, "Indestructible!" will gain its rightful place among the greatest Blue Note discs of all-time.

Not that one can ever really go wrong with an Art Blakey/Jazz Messengers recording, but some are stronger than others; this is among the very strongest. The lineup 'Bu' worked with here for his final Blue Note outing was probably the most prominent overall group of Messengers, with Shorter, Morgan, Workman, and Curtis Fuller on trombone. It's Fuller who contributes the first two tracks, 'The Egyptian' and 'Sortie', and along with Shorter's 'Mr. Jin', they are the strongest, most original and compelling songs on the disc. A typical Morgan romp ('Calling Miss Khadija'), a typically expressive Walton ballad ('When Love Is New'), and a bonus Shorter cut ('It's A Long Way Down', not his most memorable composition) round out the contents. The tracks are appealingly varied, though tied together by the manifest quality of the writing and playing; needless to say, Morgan, Shorter, and Fuller are consistently brilliant, imaginative soloists, and the music doesn't drag for a split-second in the album's entirety. As soon as you hear the first minor chords ring out on Walton's piano after a brief intro from Blakey in the first seconds of the opening track, there is no doubt this promises to be an exciting listen in the most classic vein of hard-bopness.

The Blue Note studio was especially hospitable to Art during the early sixties, and the cast assembled for this session seemed to strike a responsive chord with listeners over the course of a dozen or more albums, with the main variable being the trumpet chair, alternating between Freddie Hubbard and Lee Morgan. Frankly, I could hear this one in my head before I played it--the predictably confident playing of all the principals, the trendy modal harmonies of the arrangements, the punching textures of the 3-horn frontline, the backbeats and drum breaks, the Van Gelder sound. With nearly 50 Messenger recordings in my collection, I didn't need this one, but I'll confess I'm short on the Shorter groups, and Amazon is offering a number of these RVG editions at extremely attractive prices--and the photo of Art on the front cover, not to mention the title, is cool.

As for the sounds, the first tune, "The Egyptian," is a period piece, indistinguishable from hundreds of other A Dorian tunes (many written by college students) being played by combos in the '60's. It does feature perhaps Shorter's best solo turn on the album, demonstrating his indebtedness to Coltrane but also inviting comparisons that are not altogether flattering. I know that many listeners think of Coltrane's heated, incantatory altissimo solos as a form of protest music or even primal scream. But to listen to him for any length of time is to experience the "open-throated," effortless quality of his playing made possible by a complete mastery of embrochure and breathing. Hearing even his first note is like being connected with an unobstructed pipeline to the divine. By comparison, Wayne's sound is "close-throated," forced and pinched, capturing a far more limited expressive range that doesn't take long to become grating. At the same time, his composition "Mr. Jin" is the freshest, most engaging tune on the session (programming it first rather than last would have been a good move).

Compared to some other Messengers sessions from the early '60's, "Indestructible" to my ears doesn't measure up to "Three Blind Mice" or "Buhaina's Delight"--in terms of compositions, programming, or solo excitement. In fact, none of the recordings I've heard from this period compares favorably with either the Silver-Mobley-Golson, etc. ensembles that preceded them or the editions that would follow, especially the ones featuring Walter Davis Jr.'s challenging, strikingly original, even visionary writing (you'll need to expand your horizons beyond Blue Note and keep your old turntable in good working order to hear most of this music).

Both on record and in person, I never quite "got" Art's attraction to a third horn, regardless of who the trombonist or extra saxophonist was (maybe I'd have felt differently had it been J.J.). The extra instrument encroached on the playing time of the other soloists and, moreover, added little in the way of compositional interest or textural color. (Listen to "Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers" on Columbia to hear how it's possible to make a mere two horns sound like a miniature big band, capable moreover of covering the whole dynamic spectrum.) Even in spacious Carnegie Hall, I once witnessed Bu's five-piece ensemble blow away the larger groups on an all-star program, giving me goose bumps in the process, while a six-piece group he brought into Joe Segal's room, The Jazz Showcase, seemed comparatively tame.

This is a solid album (3 stars is a positive rating) but one I'm unlikely to play beyond another time or two--at least not until I tire sufficiently of "At Birdland," "At the Jazz Corner of the World," "At the Cafe Bohemia," "Backgammon," "Gipsy Folk Tales," and "In My Prime" to make room for it (which is unlikely to happen in this lifetime--good thing it's indestructible).

There were two versions of the Messengers, a Quintet and Sextet. The Quintet of Shorter, Morgan, Timmons, Merrit, produced many great albums, but did not have the incredibly powerful drive that the later sextet sessions would produce. The Messengers classic sextet version yielded 7 or so studio albums 3 for the Prestige/riverside unit and four for Bluenote. The first for the sextet of Hubbard, Fuller, and Shorter, was "Mosaic", then Followed by "Buhainas delight". The group made three prestige albums "Caravan", "Ugetsu" recorded live at birdland, and "Kyoto". The Thunderous "Free for all" on bluenote was the 'new' sextets Bluenote Debut and featured Blakeys Volcanic playing. "Indestructable" was The Messengers last for bluenote and featured the same sextet except Lee Morgan went in for Freddie Hubbard. "Indestructable" is not as hard driving and volcanic as "Free For All" or "Mosaic" but is still a very prolific recording and the group is very solid. The material is all original, two each by Fuller and Shorter; and one each by Morgan and Walton. The opener, "Egyptian" by fuller, has a feeling that makes it "Indestructable". "Sortie" Also by fuller, features Lee Morgans bright, hip trumpet playing. "Calling miss Kadija" is a 3/4, 24 bar blues or 6/4, 12 bar blues by Morgan who has written many similar pieces. "When Love is New", a Walton tune, seems like the title of a standard but is a quite original ballad. The latter two tunes, "Mister Jin" and "It's a Long Way Down" are Shorter originals and have very unique Harmony and balance. Every single player is in top notch form and the only flaw is that the bass could have been recorded better. "Indestructable" lives upto it's title.

This is one of those jazz albums from the Blue Note catalog, that sums up that label - pure quality, on every level. This may not be the most well know Jazz Messengers' album, but that's why it's cool -- it's like finding a rare gem. I haven't heard this in about 2 years, but after buying this remastered version I was quickly reminded as to why it is one more my favortites - songs like THE EGYPTIAN - are sublime, and each new listening produces some new element in the bassline or in the Blakey's snappy drumming.

Be glad that Blue Note is re-releasing these trully classic albums in that SuperBit format. Ever wonder why only Jazz and Classicaly receive the superbit mapping treatment, whereas the best selling rock album just doesn't?

Call it a labor of love, but trying to fatten the collection of one of your favorite artists, especially in the prolific world of jazz, is exausting at the least. Being a huge Blakey fan, I struggle knowing that I have only 4 of his releases in my collection, and even worse is that my ears haven't been privy to the remainder of his catalog. I'm working on it though, and AB's smoking 1964 sextet session "Indestructible" is my latest addition. The thing I love about Blue Note releases is exactly why I picked this up. The lineups are as varied and interchangeable as puzzle pieces. Masters of their respective instruments. Blakey has put together a powerful cluster featuring a rare 3 horn overtone. Therein lies the swing as AB and the brass section provide the backbone for the uptempo tracks. Especially the opener "The Egyptian." Don't sleep on Cedar and Workman (who is absolutely one of my top 3 Bassists) as both contribute heartily as well. I still don't think I've found or heard that ultimate Blakey piece yet. (Roots And Herbs being my current #1) But unless I win the lottery tomorrow, I'll have fun searching til then.

Some of the most ambitious hard bop albums of the 1950s-60s were produced by Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers; although perhaps not quite as good as some of his earlier albums, this release from 1964 offers some exciting and demanding hard bop performances. Blakey always managed to assemble the best players in his various Messenger bands, and Lee Morgan, Curtis Fuller, and Wayne Shorter are at the top of their game here. Trumpeter Morgan is especially fine. His solo on his own blues waltz CALLING MISS KHADIJA is superb, and the short solo he takes on the Wayne Shorter feature WHEN LOVE IS NEW almost steals the show from Shorter. The agitated theme on THE EGYPTIAN is reinforced by a relaxed 16-bar release that makes for very compelling music. Blakey, as usual, is solid on the drums and draws out the best from everyone. A most enjoyable set from Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers.

What a great moment in jazz. If Sortie doesn't get your foot tappin' and fingers snappin' , nothing will !

This is great blues based hard bop by Art Blakey and the Jazz Messangers.

Blues does not start to discribe how elegant this music is. There are loads of chord subtitutions to keep this stuff surprising at every brilliant turn around, and the warmth of Curtis Fuller's trombone gives all the tracks a big, orchestral feel.

This is my first Art Blakey album--a brief trip for me out of free jazz-and the biggest surprise?: Blakey is one AGGRESSIVE drummer. He is playing one division of the meters on top of the other, doing loud but concise fills,

He does not hit quite as hard as Elvin Jones, but if the two were having a drum duel, I would not want to be either one of those kits.