Customer Reviews

Witch Doctor

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

 

 

Lee Morgan, Wayne Shorter, Bobby Timmons, Jymie Merritt & Art Blakey! What's left to say? Maybe the greatest incarnation of the jazz messengers, this line-up recorded about 9 albums for Blue Note, all of which are tried and true classics. No jazz group in history could touch the fury and ferocity of this sound. The players are all in top form here and the solos are mostly all quit memorable. If, like me, you have been waiting for this album to be released on cd so that you can finally hear it, you won't be disappointed. in my oppinion this group could do no wrong. well worth the wait.

I find myself humming the songs from this album quite a bit since I picked it up a few months ago. The writing (2 by Wayne Shorter, 2 by Lee Morgan, 1 Bobby Timmons, and one Clifford Jordan song to even it out) is neat and catchy. The playing, always great for a Blakey group.

Shorter in particular has vicious mf of a solo on his original, Those Who Sit And Wait. Blakey's got a ferocious drum solo on that one too. Lee is good. And the rhythm section (anchored by the heavy sounds of Blakey on drums) is nice and funky.

This is a reissue worth getting. So are nearly all the Bluenote reissues, but this one has a little extra I think. Catchy tunes, great writing, good feel. Get it?

All of the players in this album are at top form. For some reason this album is often overlooked, though I enjoy it just as much, or even more than "A Night In Tunisia." Even though all of the compositions are intruiging, "Afrique" in particular interests me. It opens with Blakey playing african rhythms, followed by Shorter and Morgan playing counter-melodies. In Morgan's solo he reaches a climax in which he wrenches the most twisting, tart, almost painful sounds out of his horn. The Messengers all do quite a job, but in my opinion Morgan is the star of this album. This should not be your first Jazz Messengers cd, but if you are gaining an interest in them, then it is a must have.

I've only been listening to jazz for less than a year, and so far this album is one of, if not my favorite. As always, Art Blakey's bands soar, but I find this line up to be his best. Afrique is my favorite song off the album, starting with syncopated lines from each instrument with Lee Morgan soloing over it all, this song pulls you in right away. The first lines of the sax solo are almost chilling with Wayne Shorter blowing a well placed collection of low notes that make my blood rush everytime I hear them. All of the songs are unique in general and from eachother, and the solos are outstanding on everyone's part. Both of the other reviews for this album have already portrayed how great this album is, so I'll cut my review short with these words: GET THIS ALBUM!

I bought several dozen Blakey discs overs the years and gave many away, this is one I kept. A few I discarded included Mosaic and Freedom Rider.

this is my favourite art blakey LP,the energy her is teriffic, specially lee morgan, his tone twists and turns with mesmerising effect, afrique must be the highlight building into a powerhouse blues riff, then back to an african rhythm,all in all the best=