This week, Dan is gushing about jazz drummer Art Blakey, the powerful and unique musician who not only inspired thousands of drummers, but also used his band The Jazz Messengers as a training ground for up-and-coming musicians, most of whom would go on to lead their own bands. Do yourself a favor and get some Art Blakey records. They're exciting examples of where jazz was at and where it was headed at any given time from the 50s and 60s. (His music in the 70s and 80s didn't follow the genre's path as much.)
This was another long one, so this is part 1. Part 2 will be up in two weeks.
NOTES / DON'T @ US:
- Dan kept saying “Live at Birdland” instead of “A Night at Birdland” for some reason. He’s been flogged.
- Art Blakey solo from a concert in Paris in 1959
- Blakey speaking from “Now’s the Time” off “A Night at Birdland vol 2” by the Art Blakey Quintet
- “Free For All” written by Wayne Shorter
- Clip of Art Blakey changing the toms’ pitch from “Split Kick” by Horace Silver off “A Night at Birdland vol 1” by the Art Blakey Quintet
- Drum solo from “Free For All”
- Pee-Wee Marquette clip from the opening of “A Night at Birdland Vol 1” by the Art Blakey Quintet
- “Moanin’” written by Bobby Timmons
- “Dat Dere” written by Bobby Timmons
- “A la Mode” written by Curtis Fuller
- “Mosaic” written by Cedar Walton
- Charles Mingus’ “Moanin’” by Charles Mingus, totally different from the Art Blakey version
- All clips and descriptions used under Fair Use for critical purposes
