Ugetsu

Art Blakey, Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 1, 1991)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Ojc
• ASIN: B000000Y5F
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #227,479 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Live Performance From A Great Group, December 3, 2000

By 

Michael B. Richman (Portland, Maine USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Ugetsu (Audio CD)

I'll agree with the other two reviewers that Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers' "Ugetsu" is a five star CD, but I thought it would be helpful to provide to some specifics about this recording. "Ugetsu" was recorded live at Birdland on June 16, 1963, and is one of three albums made for the Riverside label ("Caravan" and "Kyoto" are the other two) during a two year hiatus from Blue Note. The personnel is the same as on the classic Blue Note "Free For All" -- Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Wayne Shorter on tenor sax, Curtis Fuller on trombone, Cedar Walton on piano, Reggie Workman on bass and the great Blakey on the drum throne. The sound is excellent (though not as quite as good as the "Three Blind Mice" volumes), and unlike many live jazz dates that just showcase live versions of songs from other albums, the material on "Ugetsu" is unique to the Messengers' discography (except for "Ping Pong" and "The Theme"). The CD features three bonus tracks (7-9), and they are as good as anything else from the session, with the exception of the title-track which is by far the disc's best composition. In all, fans of Blakey's Blue Notes will thoroughly enjoy "Ugetsu."

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Jazz Messenger nectar, August 3, 2005

By 

Joseph P. Reel (Pacific Grove, California United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Ugetsu (Audio CD)

The essence of New York hard bop by the group that brought the genre to it's pinnacle. The band sounds relaxed and at home in the club that Art Blakey dubbed his favorite venue. Brief introductory comments by Blakey and Birdland's diminutive M.C. Peewee Marquette's raspy glass-shattering voice contribute to the high-energy atmosphere that often reigned at jazzdom's most famous Mecca.

Soaring solos and tight ensemble playing mark this 1963 Messenger live performance. The well-disciplined edition of the group obviously enjoyed their free-spirited romp playing energized up-tempo numbers as well as two elegantly executed ballads.

An essential all-star group at the height of their power, sounding as fresh today as they did on the night of June l6, 1963.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I agree with the reviewer from Newark, May 5, 2000

By 

Mark Seeley (Korea) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ugetsu (Audio CD)

I agree with the reviewer from Newark. I picked up Ugetsu a few days ago and can't stop playing it. This is my first Blakey CD and certainly not my last. I will also be looking for something by Cedar Walton. His composition (the title track) and his piano playing are wonderful. Everyone else in the group is quite good too. Buy it.