Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers With Thelonious Monk (1958)
EAC | FLAC | Image (Cue&Log) ~ 246 Mb | Mp3 (CBR320) ~ 110 Mb | Scans included
Hard Bop, Bop | Label: Atlantic Jazz | # 1278-2 | Time: 00:44:20
EAC | FLAC | Image (Cue&Log) ~ 246 Mb | Mp3 (CBR320) ~ 110 Mb | Scans included
Hard Bop, Bop | Label: Atlantic Jazz | # 1278-2 | Time: 00:44:20
Most of the titles on this album are derived from Thelonious Monk's vast catalog of bop standards. Both co-leaders are at the peak of their respective prowess with insightful interpretations of nearly half a dozen inspired performances from this incarnation of the Blakey-led Jazz Messengers. This combo features Art Blakey (drums), Johnny Griffin (tenor sax), Bill Hardman (trumpet), and Spanky Debrest (bass). Immediately, Hardman ups the ante with a piledriving lead during "Evidence" that underscores the heavy-hitting nature of this particular jazz confab. Monk counters with some powerful and inspired runs that are sonically splintered by the enthusiastic – if not practically percussive – chord progressions and highly logistic phrasings from the pianist. The inherent melodic buoyancy on "In Walked Bud" contains a springboard-like quality, with Griffin matching Monk's bounce measure for measure.