Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers

• 65th Anniversary Deluxe Edition 180g Double LP!

• Extra Disc of Outtakes, Most Previously Unreleased

• 4 STARS ALL MUSIC GUIDE

In May of 1957, Art Blakey and his Jazz Messengers went into the studio with Thelonious Monk to record a one-off album for Atlantic. The Jazz Messengers were a loose collective of young jazz musicians, with a constantly rotating lineup to keep the music fresh and help launch new careers. In this iteration we find Art Blakey on drums, Thelonious Monk on piano, Johnny Griffin on tenor saxophone, Bill Hardman on trumpet and Spanky DeBrest on bass.

Blakey had recorded with Monk on various occasions, but this was the first time Monk sat in with the Jazz Messengers. This also marks Thelonious Monk's only appearance on Atlantic Records. The result is a true meeting of the minds, a beautiful union of Monk's melodies with Blakey's unshakable sense of swing. This 65th Anniversary deluxe edition includes an extra disc of unreleased outtakes, celebrating the most sensational jazz collaboration of the 1950s.

PERSONNEL:

• Art Blakey (drums)
• Thelonious Monk (piano)
• Johnny Griffin (tenor saxophone)
• Bill Hardman (trumpet)
• Spanky Debrest (bass)

TRACKS:

• LP ONE

• SIDE A:
• A1. Evidence
• A2. In Walked Bud
• A3. Blue Monk
• SIDE B:
• B1. I Mean You
• B2. Rhythm-A-Ning
• B3. Purple Shades
• _________________

• LP TWO: THE OUTTAKES

• SIDE C
• C1. Evidence - Take 2
• C2. In Walked Bud - Take 2
• C3. Blue Monk - Take 9
• SIDE D:
• D1. I Mean You - Take 3
• D2. Rhythm-A-Ning - Take 2
• D3. Purple Shades - Take 4