The Jazz Messengers

Jazz cafes became a thing in the 1950s after the Korean War when American military personnel passed through Japan and brought jazz records with them.

Okino says a big moment was in 1961 when Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers played here.

So

TV, radio introduced Art Blakey as...

And the personnel on that cut, Lee Morgan trumpet, Wayne Shorter tenor sax, Grant Green, St. Louis' own on guitar, Herbie Hancock piano, Reggie Workman bass, Billy Higgins on drums.

Now, Lee Morgan was a member of the finishing school of jazz, Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers.

Right now, we're going to give you music from two jazz legends.

And the name of the song is called For Heaven's Sake.

Ray Drummond on bass, Al Harewood on drums.

This cut was recorded in January of 1993.

Now, Curtis Fuller, he was a member of Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, and he was featured on John Coltrane's only Blue Note album, Blue Train.

And we heard music from two jazz legends, McCoy Tyner and Bobby Hutcherson.

And like conversations just sort of flowing about this Art Tatum record or not Art Tatum.

Who is it? Who is the Jazz Messengers? Art Blakely and the Jazz Messengers.

Probably one of my favorite group names of all time.

And we're all talking about this Art Blakely record.

Maybe I just never say this stuff out loud.

But is it Blakey? Blakey.

Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers.

Yeah.

The other one that I want to talk on that I don't really know much about is Art Blakey.

Art Blakey was known for just putting together these amazing bands, you know, Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers.

You know, he had all of the greatest musicians, you know, like Wayne Shorter and, you know, Freddie Hubbard and Bobby Timmons.

And I can't even think, just like a bunch of people like Terrence Blanchard and he just had a legacy of of musicians throughout the years that kind of grew up in that kind of camp of lee morgan camp of playing you know just they would write the music for art and what was so powerful about him is is that he was almost like a big band drummer you know because he would just lead the band like he was known for a shuffle like art blakey shuffling

My mother bought me my very first album.

It was Art Blakely and the Jazz Messengers.

And way over my head at the time.

I didn't know what I was listening to.

[clapping and cheering]

And that's music by Johnny Griffin, former member of the Finishing School of Jazz, Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, former member of the Thelonious Monk Quartet, with a song entitled There Will Never Be Another You.

Recorded live at Plaza Sound Studios in New York, September 27th, 1960.

Johnny Griffin on tenor sax, Dave Burns on trumpet, Norman Simmons on piano, Victor Sproles on bass, Ben Riley on drums.

Bob Mayo was born in 1951, played keyboards and guitar on Peter Frampton's Frampton Comes Alive live album.

Charles Fambrough was born in 1950, composed jazz and played bass as a member of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers.

Michel Donato was born in 1942, anchored the Canadian jazz scene as an award-winning acoustic double bassist.

Mike Freeman was born in 1959, earned critical praise as a modern jazz vibraphonist, composer, and band leader.