The Big Beat

Artist: Art Blakey , and Jazz Messengers
Label: Blue Note Records
Category: Music

Average customer rating:

Format: Original recording remastered
Media: Audio CD
Number Of Discs: 1

UPC: 724356380028
EAN: 0724356380028
ASIN: B0009X77DQ

Release Date: 2005-07-19

Related Categories:

Bebop General

| Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music

General

| Jazz | Styles | Music

General

| Pop | Styles | Music

General

| Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

Blue Note Records

| Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music

Hard Bop

| Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music

Listmania:

Jazz Triphop Mash Up
Start your Jazz collection now!
My Trip-Hop and Jazz Picks
Interesting Music
Intelligent Music From Pittsburgh
SMOKIN' ON BLUE NOTE WITH LEE MORGAN
Another Incredible Batch of RVG Releases - Summer 2005

Tracks:

The Chess Players
Sakeena's Vision
Politely
Dat Dere
Lester Left Town
It's Only A Paper Moon
It's Only A Paper Moon (Alternate Take)

Similar Items:

Moanin'
A Night in Tunisia
At the Cafe Bohemia, Vol. 1
Like Someone in Love
Free for All

Customer Reviews:

nice set.......2007-02-02

although the messengers had live sets of these songs played which were more looser,this album is great like the previous poster said about bobby timmons is true what a jazz phenomenon,blues bases pianist who will have your fingers snapping.what a wonderful group they were

Always a great listen.......2006-05-17

Hard to go wrong on this lineup of the Jazz Messengers. Lee Morgan- along with Miles Davis and Fats Navarro- is my favorite trumpeter. Bobby Timmons has a style that always makes me snap my fingers right along- a brilliant and criminally underrated jazz pianist. Wayne Shorter, even at this early stage, has already come into his own as a saxophonist and composer. Blakey's volcanic drumming is the perfect vehicle that propels them all forward.

An essential jazz album.

As good a start as any.......2005-07-21

People talk about "Moanin'" as being the first album to get when getting into Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers. Although Moanin' was my first Messengers album (aside from the Ken Burns Art Blakey CD, but that doesn't really count as an album), and I proceeded to buy "A Night in Tunisia" and "Horace Silver and the Jazz Messengers," I could never really warm up to them until I had heard this one. I immediately loved this album for its great compositions, great solos, and deep, powerful swing, and it really served as a launching point for me to go out and get everything this group cut, everything other Messengers lineups cut, and many albums by the various sidemen. So I have to confess that this album holds a special place in my heart.

"The Big Beat" was recorded in 1960 and features Lee Morgan on trumpet, Wayne Shorter on tenor saxophone, Bobby Timmons on piano, and Jymie Merritt on bass, with the leader on drums. Though all of these musicians had recorded together with Blakey prior to this, this is the first time this specific lineup recorded, and they would go on to record seven more albums over the next year and a half. Though all of the albums are very good (and some are spectacular), this may be the best, perhaps along with "A Night in Tunisia" and "Roots & Herbs." Wayne Shorter supplies three originals, all of which are interesting, swing hard, and provide a good basis for the soloists. Of special note is "The Chess Players," a very bluesy, medium tempo tune that may seem atypical of Wayne's work, especially his later stuff, but it's just quirky enough in form to indicate where the young composer was going. Also, the rendition of "It's Only a Paper Moon" is far from being a cheesy gimmick, as one might suspect; instead, there's an aura of playful mystery that is helped (or perhaps created) by Lee Morgan's genious trumpet playing. It's one of my favorite cuts on the album.

All in all, this is a very accessible, hard-swinging album and a fantastic introduction to the Jazz Messengers and what this edition was all about. I highly recommend it to anyone who likes jazz regardless of their listening experience. There's something on every level here.

Music CD:

Music CD

Music CD

Music CD

Blackberry Molasses ~ Mista

The Crazy World of Arthur Brown ~ Arthur Brown

Double Happiness ~ Jimmy Barnes

Invitation ~ Carrie Akre

Sleeping in the Nothing (Clean) ~ Kelly Osbourne

Stay ~ Maurice Williams

Candy Man

I Love Rock & Roll: Hits of the 80's, Vol. 4 ~ Various Artists

Bucktown/Let's Git It On ~ Smif-N-Wessun

Give It 2 You ~ Da Brat