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Art Blakey, king of the drums.



Someone inquired about North African music, and while perusing my collection in an attempt to help; I ran across Art Blakey, who is neither North or South African, but who's music is "king" of the African Beat.

I give you "The African Beat"; featuring ART BLAKEY, drums; SOLOMON G. ILORI, vocal, penny whistle, talking drum; CHIEF BEY, conga, telegraph drum, double gong; MONTEGO JOE, bambara drum, double gong, corboro drum, log drum; GARVIN MASSEAUX, chekere, African maracas, conga; JAMES OLA FOLAMI, conga; ROBERT CROWDER, BATA DRUM, conga; CURTIS FULLER, tympani; YUSEF LATEEF, oboe, flute, tenor sax, cow horn, thumb piano; AHMED ABDUL MALIK, bass.

"Orgy in Rythm Vols one and two" is the next CD. ART BLAKEY, ARTHUR TAYLOR AND JO JONES on drums; SABU, bongo, timbales; 'POTATO' VALDEZ, JOSE VALIENTE congas; UBALDO NIET, timbales; EVILIO QUINTERO, tree log, HERBIE MAN, flute; RAY BRYANT, piano; WENDELL MARSHALL bass.

These two CD's will take you to the jungle, make you want to put on a grass skirt, and shake "yo booty".

What's your favorite Blakey?
orpheus10
cfluxa's avatar
cfluxa
127 posts
 
Orpheus - I'd have a hard time saying you and his many enthusiastic fans are wrong. Did some listening yesterday with this question in mind, and a lot of the time he makes Miles sound academic by comparison - a guy who, I've often felt, sounds interested more in what's his head than the trumpet itself. I think Clifford Brown and Donald Byrd also had some great moments during their Art Blakey stints. And there is often a sense that Lee Morgan is great and he knows it, whereas Brownie and Byrd tend to just play their hearts out in a way that's hard to beat. Still, I don't think anybody ever really quite "had his way with the trumpet" the way Lee Morgan did. In his hands, the brass just becomes a living animal.
orpheus10 OP
8,668 posts
 


Cflux, you've compared Lee Morgan to my other favorites; this proves you are a true connoisseur of jazz trumpet.

As great as Miles, Clifford, and Donald Byrd were; Lee Morgan soars like an eagle above them on "Search for the New Land". While his mastery of the trumpet was beyond reach, his musical imagination approaches that of Mingus, on "Search for the New Land". I can visualize a modern dance troupe doing a thing to this music.

I'm sure you have "The Best of Lee Morgan" on Blue Note. I can hear the words on his version of "Since I Fell For You", better than I can on a vocal version.

Enjoy the music.
cfluxa's avatar
cfluxa
127 posts
 
Orpheus - aside from what Lee Morgan did with Blakey, all I've got is "Sidewinder," "Leeway" and "Procrastinator" - have been curious about "Search for the New Land" for a while, just decided to scoop it up on Amazon, your Mingus comment sold me... thanks for the tip!
charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
10,250 posts
 
Orpheus and Cfluxa,

This is a fun and interesting discussion. Lee Morgan is one of the greats of jazz trumpet(my passion). Another good morgan solo, "I`m Old Fashion" from Coltrane`s "Blue Train". He did some very good sessions with Jackie Mclean. Another truly great but near forgotten trumpeter was Fats Navarro, who`s influence I hear so clearly with Cliford Brown.

However I can`t place Lee Morgan above Miles Davis, Miles from the early 1950s to the mid 1960s is simply wonderful trumpet playing. At least for me he could express such beautiful emotion with that horn, be it muted or open bell, just beautiful.

As for current trumpeters, I love the playing of Nicholas Payton, chechout the CD "Fingerpainting" music all written by Herbie Hancock,nick plays his heart out!
orpheus10 OP
8,668 posts
 
Charles1dad, I like Miles, I have many of his records and I can empathize with your statement. As a matter of fact I have given your statement so much consideration that this week will be devoted to comparing the two between the time period you stated.
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