O-10, while I don’t feel entirely comfortable laying claim to the “astute” part of your question, I can offer an opinion.
I think it would be difficult to make an argument against “Moanin’” being THE definitive Art Blakey Jazz Messengers recording. I think it is a pretty safe bet that if surveyed a majority would agree. Great band! Great record! And, I have a strong suspicion that you would agree 😉. Having said that, I think the band was even better when Wayne Shorter replaced Benny Golson. Not that there was anything amiss in Benny Golson’s playing; quite the contrary. Fantastic player and fantastic composer which is one of the main reasons that “Moanin’” was so great. After Golson, the band remained the same except for the tenor slot. Shorter was (is) a more modern improviser and, for me, a more interesting improviser. I think that made the band more interesting and more forward looking. With a couple of temporary changes theband would remain essentially the same for about half a dozen records with “Night In Tunisia” being a favorite. My two cents.