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CTyankee

(63,770 posts)
Thu Jun 25, 2020, 10:05 AM Jun 2020

Can someone give me more information about Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers?

I am doing an art project that will include the art of album covers and his cover "The Freedom Riders" is one of the greats, IMO. I know nothing about his music, however, so I am going to Youtube some of the songs I see on this album. Specifically, I am trying to find what Nat Hentoff wrote about it. I used to read his reviews in the Village Voice.

Here is the album cover:

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Can someone give me more information about Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers? (Original Post) CTyankee Jun 2020 OP
Start with the Wikipedia entry BillyBobBrilliant Jun 2020 #1
that cover art is brilliant. It caught a moment that I just love of his face and holding that CTyankee Jun 2020 #2
Just about anyone who was anybody in jazz bif Jun 2020 #3
That gave me a laugh and it was touching. CTyankee Jun 2020 #4

BillyBobBrilliant

(805 posts)
1. Start with the Wikipedia entry
Thu Jun 25, 2020, 11:45 AM
Jun 2020

35 years of corralling the best of the best young jazz players, including the Marsalis brothers.
The full list of members is a who's who of the modern jazz world. Many went on to form ensembles of their own.

CTyankee

(63,770 posts)
2. that cover art is brilliant. It caught a moment that I just love of his face and holding that
Thu Jun 25, 2020, 12:40 PM
Jun 2020

cigarette barely in his mouth. I know next to nothing about his music (I've heard the drumming but I don't know the artistry and will have to ask my drummer son in law!). I do know the social justice message he was getting across and that endears me to him...

bif

(22,560 posts)
3. Just about anyone who was anybody in jazz
Thu Jun 25, 2020, 12:47 PM
Jun 2020

Went through the Art Blakey school of music. He was an amazing discoverer of young talent. And he loved to proselytize about jazz.

Here's a great story I hear about him. He was on tour in the south with his band. He stopped in a small town and there was a funeral going on. Someone was up on the podium, talking about the dead person. When his eulogy was done, he invited others to come up to the stand. So Art goes up to the mike and says, "Well, if no one has anything else to say about the deceased, I'd like to say a few words about jazz." Supposedly a true story!

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