ART BLAKEY & THE JAZZ MESSENGERS - Just Coolin'
Blue Note Records CD 50865022 / Vinyl 50865023
Lee Morgan (tpt), Hank Mobley (tnr), Bobby Timmons (pno), Jymie Merritt (bs) Art Blakey (drs)
Recorded 8th March 1959
Review 1:
Another superb session from the archives, never issued before. Why is open to conjecture. One reason could be that Alfred Lion recorded the same group five weeks later at Birdland for the two volume ‘At the Jazz Corner of the World’. By then, the group had run the material thorough a few more times and the theme statements are a little cleaner.
Hank Mobley was in the original Jazz Messengers and he returned while the saxophone position in the Messengers was in flux. Hank Mobley, his later recordings for Blue Note have just been collected on Mosaic, supplies three of his compositions as well as his unique, almost self-effacing, round sound.
The sound of Lee Morgan was a complete contrast full of passion, bravado, aggression, going for broke every time he played. His clarity, his ability to hit notes squarely and also to slide away from notes with a bluesy take is shown on the standard ‘Close Your Eyes’.
The drums of Blakey are well captured by Van Gelder. The power that Blakey generates is one of the ever-present features of the Messengers as is the gruff sensitivity of the drummer as he plays underneath the solos of Timmons.
The jaunty rhythm of ‘Hipsippy Blues’ written by Hank Mobley features him in a solo of melodic magic. Lee Morgan enters tentatively building to a powerful statement which is as cheery as the theme. Soon it begins to soar as Blakey pushes Morgan higher. Bobby Timmons probably the most thoughtful in his solos, no pianistic pyrotechnics here, a good contrast to the extrovert musicians who surrounded him.
‘Jimerick’ takes off at speed with the fleet fingers of Timmons soon succeeded by Morgan who experiments with thoughts before settling out on a solo that is as inventive as anything else he plays on the album… Timmons, when he returns to solo, is inspired by the fire of his colleague. Mobley at his most assertive takes over from the pianist to fashion a solo that in spite of the speed sounds relaxed and inventive. Blakey press rolls into his solo to end the piece.
Interesting to compare this session with the recording at Birdland a few weeks later. Why did Alfred Lion decide to shelve the studio material and go with the club date? Embarrassment of riches!
This is a splendid insight into straightforward no-nonsense jazz from over sixty years ago, sounding new-minted. Blakey was at a highpoint at this time and this was one of his greatest groups but so was the group before this and the ones that came after. Blakey did drive jazz forward: not an innovator, he was a consolidator and nurturer of talent throughout his life. Staggering to think that this album was only discovered last year.
Reviewed by Jack Kenny
***********************************************
Review 2:
As all jazz lovers know, Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers were at the very pinnacle of the hard-bop movement for some thirty five years from 1955 to 1990, making well over seventy albums during the period and carrying all before them. The hard driving and enigmatic Pittsburgh drummer, born in 1919, became a catalyst for up and coming young talent, very many of which were to go on and become triple "A" listers like Blakey himself. Among the alumni were the likes of Horace Silver, Lee Morgan, Johnny Griffen, Kenny Dorham, Wayne Shorter, Wynton Marsalis and very many more. This album which was recorded on 8th March 1959 followed the famous "Moanin'" release which was originally titled simply "Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers". "Just Coolin" was not published at the time simply because the record company Blue Note, one of no less than thirty seven that Art was to appear on, preferred to issue a double live session album from Birdland entitled "Jazz Corner Of The World" recorded just a month later, with very similar content. Benny Golson had just vacated the saxophone chair in the band and was replaced by the 29 year old Georgian Hank Mobley who had been on the earliest Messengers recordings in fifty four before leading his own bands in the interim period. Alongside the tenor man was the new trumpet sensation of the day, Lee Morgan who had already come to fame for his stunning performance, a year earlier, aged only nineteen on John Coltrane's classic "Blue Trane" album. Lee himself went on to produce his own classic "The Sidewinder" in sixty three, before his tragic death aged only thirty three, some ten years later. The band was completed by the blues drenched pianist Bobby Timmons, a prolific recording artist, who had two spells with Art, was a proffered sideman for many other bands as well as finding time to make eighteen albums of his own during a brief but eventful career. Completing the rhythm section was bassist Jymie Merritt, a stalwart of the early messengers line-ups who sadly passed away recently aged 93.
The album itself is standard Messengers fare, that's to say it is brilliant dynamic, original hard bop with few equals. There are six tunes over forty minutes, which was quite the norm' for an LP in the late fifties. The first of three numbers written by Hank Mobley, Hipsippy Blues get things underway with the usual spine tingling ensemble opening statement, that became a trade mark of many similar bands of the era. The composer takes the main solo, its swinging, purposeful and relaxed, as much of the music is throughout. Lee Morgan is the key man on the only standard piece, Close Your Eyes which was perhaps the most well known song written by Bernice Petkere, a lady also known as "The Queen Of Tin Pan Alley" and someone who deserved far more recondition than she received. The young trumpet genius was in top form on this, basking in the stature the critics were justifiably affording him at the time. Bobby Timmons was always the most engaging of pianists, particularly on ballads and mid tempo jaunts such as his own soulful blues Quick Trick, but we also find him in finger busting mood on the up tempo Jimerick, the only number that includes a solo from the leader, as you would expect it is a draw dropping poly-rhythmic journey, the like of which was a cornerstone of the band's unique sound. Two further compositions from the pen of Hank Mobley close the disc, the more than usually complex M & M with the composers full on tenor competing with Bobby Timmons off the wall reply and finally the title cut, Just Coolin' at nearly nine minutes in length, giving members the ideal opportunity to stretch out. There is a strong melody line and a distinctive groove to this, perhaps heralding things to come and also the only bass solo by Jymie Merritt, whose play on all tracks also provided a firm foundation for the soloists. In summary this is a very welcome, if unexpected edition to the Messengers extensive discography plus an ideal introduction for anyone who has not yet fully experienced the Blakey magic.
Reviewed by Jim Burlong
Blue Note Records CD 50865022 / Vinyl 50865023
Lee Morgan (tpt), Hank Mobley (tnr), Bobby Timmons (pno), Jymie Merritt (bs) Art Blakey (drs)
Recorded 8th March 1959
Review 1:
Another superb session from the archives, never issued before. Why is open to conjecture. One reason could be that Alfred Lion recorded the same group five weeks later at Birdland for the two volume ‘At the Jazz Corner of the World’. By then, the group had run the material thorough a few more times and the theme statements are a little cleaner.
Hank Mobley was in the original Jazz Messengers and he returned while the saxophone position in the Messengers was in flux. Hank Mobley, his later recordings for Blue Note have just been collected on Mosaic, supplies three of his compositions as well as his unique, almost self-effacing, round sound.
The sound of Lee Morgan was a complete contrast full of passion, bravado, aggression, going for broke every time he played. His clarity, his ability to hit notes squarely and also to slide away from notes with a bluesy take is shown on the standard ‘Close Your Eyes’.
The drums of Blakey are well captured by Van Gelder. The power that Blakey generates is one of the ever-present features of the Messengers as is the gruff sensitivity of the drummer as he plays underneath the solos of Timmons.
The jaunty rhythm of ‘Hipsippy Blues’ written by Hank Mobley features him in a solo of melodic magic. Lee Morgan enters tentatively building to a powerful statement which is as cheery as the theme. Soon it begins to soar as Blakey pushes Morgan higher. Bobby Timmons probably the most thoughtful in his solos, no pianistic pyrotechnics here, a good contrast to the extrovert musicians who surrounded him.
‘Jimerick’ takes off at speed with the fleet fingers of Timmons soon succeeded by Morgan who experiments with thoughts before settling out on a solo that is as inventive as anything else he plays on the album… Timmons, when he returns to solo, is inspired by the fire of his colleague. Mobley at his most assertive takes over from the pianist to fashion a solo that in spite of the speed sounds relaxed and inventive. Blakey press rolls into his solo to end the piece.
Interesting to compare this session with the recording at Birdland a few weeks later. Why did Alfred Lion decide to shelve the studio material and go with the club date? Embarrassment of riches!
This is a splendid insight into straightforward no-nonsense jazz from over sixty years ago, sounding new-minted. Blakey was at a highpoint at this time and this was one of his greatest groups but so was the group before this and the ones that came after. Blakey did drive jazz forward: not an innovator, he was a consolidator and nurturer of talent throughout his life. Staggering to think that this album was only discovered last year.
Reviewed by Jack Kenny
***********************************************
Review 2:
As all jazz lovers know, Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers were at the very pinnacle of the hard-bop movement for some thirty five years from 1955 to 1990, making well over seventy albums during the period and carrying all before them. The hard driving and enigmatic Pittsburgh drummer, born in 1919, became a catalyst for up and coming young talent, very many of which were to go on and become triple "A" listers like Blakey himself. Among the alumni were the likes of Horace Silver, Lee Morgan, Johnny Griffen, Kenny Dorham, Wayne Shorter, Wynton Marsalis and very many more. This album which was recorded on 8th March 1959 followed the famous "Moanin'" release which was originally titled simply "Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers". "Just Coolin" was not published at the time simply because the record company Blue Note, one of no less than thirty seven that Art was to appear on, preferred to issue a double live session album from Birdland entitled "Jazz Corner Of The World" recorded just a month later, with very similar content. Benny Golson had just vacated the saxophone chair in the band and was replaced by the 29 year old Georgian Hank Mobley who had been on the earliest Messengers recordings in fifty four before leading his own bands in the interim period. Alongside the tenor man was the new trumpet sensation of the day, Lee Morgan who had already come to fame for his stunning performance, a year earlier, aged only nineteen on John Coltrane's classic "Blue Trane" album. Lee himself went on to produce his own classic "The Sidewinder" in sixty three, before his tragic death aged only thirty three, some ten years later. The band was completed by the blues drenched pianist Bobby Timmons, a prolific recording artist, who had two spells with Art, was a proffered sideman for many other bands as well as finding time to make eighteen albums of his own during a brief but eventful career. Completing the rhythm section was bassist Jymie Merritt, a stalwart of the early messengers line-ups who sadly passed away recently aged 93.
The album itself is standard Messengers fare, that's to say it is brilliant dynamic, original hard bop with few equals. There are six tunes over forty minutes, which was quite the norm' for an LP in the late fifties. The first of three numbers written by Hank Mobley, Hipsippy Blues get things underway with the usual spine tingling ensemble opening statement, that became a trade mark of many similar bands of the era. The composer takes the main solo, its swinging, purposeful and relaxed, as much of the music is throughout. Lee Morgan is the key man on the only standard piece, Close Your Eyes which was perhaps the most well known song written by Bernice Petkere, a lady also known as "The Queen Of Tin Pan Alley" and someone who deserved far more recondition than she received. The young trumpet genius was in top form on this, basking in the stature the critics were justifiably affording him at the time. Bobby Timmons was always the most engaging of pianists, particularly on ballads and mid tempo jaunts such as his own soulful blues Quick Trick, but we also find him in finger busting mood on the up tempo Jimerick, the only number that includes a solo from the leader, as you would expect it is a draw dropping poly-rhythmic journey, the like of which was a cornerstone of the band's unique sound. Two further compositions from the pen of Hank Mobley close the disc, the more than usually complex M & M with the composers full on tenor competing with Bobby Timmons off the wall reply and finally the title cut, Just Coolin' at nearly nine minutes in length, giving members the ideal opportunity to stretch out. There is a strong melody line and a distinctive groove to this, perhaps heralding things to come and also the only bass solo by Jymie Merritt, whose play on all tracks also provided a firm foundation for the soloists. In summary this is a very welcome, if unexpected edition to the Messengers extensive discography plus an ideal introduction for anyone who has not yet fully experienced the Blakey magic.
Reviewed by Jim Burlong
