The Jazz Messengers - Misplaced Pages

(Redirected from Jazz Messengers) American jazz band This article is about The Jazz Messengers group. For the album, see The Jazz Messengers (album). "Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers" redirects here. For their self-titled albums, see Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers (disambiguation).

The Jazz Messengers
The Jazz Messengers in 1960. From left: Lee Morgan, Wayne Shorter (obscured), Jymie Merritt, and Art Blakey
Background information
Genres	Jazz hard bop bebop
Years active	1955 (1955)–1990 (1990)
Labels	A&M Atlantic Bethlehem Soul Note Blue Note Cadet Catalyst Colpix Columbia Concord Jazz Amigo Delos Elektra Fontana Impulse! Jubilee Limelight Pacific Jazz Palcoscenico Philips Prestige Vik Riverside Roulette Sonet Timeless United Artists

Past members	See Former members

The Jazz Messengers were a jazz combo that existed for over thirty-five years beginning in the early 1950s as a collective, and ending when long-time leader and founding drummer Art Blakey died in 1990. Blakey led or co-led the group from the outset. "Art Blakey" and "Jazz Messengers" became synonymous over the years, though Blakey did lead non-Messenger recording sessions and played as a sideman for other groups throughout his career.

"Yes sir, I'm gonna to stay with the youngsters. When these get too old, I'm gonna get some younger ones. Keeps the mind active."
— Art Blakey, A Night at Birdland, Vol. 2 (CD)

The group evolved into a proving ground for young jazz talent. While veterans occasionally re-appeared in the group, by and large, each iteration of the Messengers included a lineup of new young players. Having the Messengers on one's resume was a rite of passage in the jazz world, and conveyed immediate bona fides.

Many former members of the Jazz Messengers established careers as solo musicians, such as Lee Morgan, Benny Golson, Wayne Shorter, Freddie Hubbard, Bobby Timmons, Hank Mobley, Curtis Fuller, Cedar Walton, Billy Harper, Keith Jarrett, Joanne Brackeen, Woody Shaw, Chuck Mangione, Wynton Marsalis, Branford Marsalis, Terence Blanchard, Donald Harrison and Mulgrew Miller. Some members, such as bassist Clarence Seay and Gregory Charles Royal, are documented to have played in the Jazz Messengers but did not record with the group.

History

Origins

On December 17, 1947, Blakey led a group known as "Art Blakey's Messengers" in his first recording session as a leader, for Blue Note Records. The records were released as 78s at the time and two of the songs were released on the New Sounds 10" LP compilation (BLP 5010). This octet included Kenny Dorham, Howard Bowe, Sahib Shihab, Musa Kaleem, Ernest Thompson, Walter Bishop Jr., and LaVerne Barker.

Around the same time—in 1947 or 1949—Blakey led a big band called "Seventeen Messengers." The band proved to be financially unstable and broke up soon after. The Messengers name then went dormant for several years.

Blakey and Horace Silver began working together in the early 1950s. Some cite the group that included Blakey, Silver, Kenny Dorham, Lou Donaldson and Gene Ramey in 1953 as the original Jazz Messengers. On February 21, 1954, a group billed as the "Art Blakey Quintet" produced the live set of records called A Night at Birdland. The quintet included Horace Silver, Clifford Brown, Lou Donaldson and Curly Russell. These records were quite successful, and some cite this date as the beginning of the Jazz Messengers.

The Jazz Messengers (1954–56)

Most date the origin of the Jazz Messengers to 1954, or 1955, when the first recordings credited to the band appeared. The Jazz Messengers formed as a collective, nominally led by Silver or Blakey on various dates. Blakey credits Silver with reviving the Messengers name for the group. The other members included Kenny Dorham, Hank Mobley and Doug Watkins. Their first recordings officially using the Jazz Messengers name were a pair of live dates, recorded at the Café Bohemia in 1955. A pair of earlier recordings from sessions in late 1954 and early 1955—released on Blue Note 10" LPs as the Horace Silver Quintet, vol. 1 and vol. 2—were subsequently reissued as a 12" LP entitled Horace Silver and the Jazz Messengers.

The pioneering members of the Jazz Messengers (Horace Silver, Hank Mobley, Kenny Dorham, Doug Watkins, and of course Blakey) believed that the band needed a professional look, and they abandoned jam sessions.

In 1956 Dorham left the band to go out on his own and was replaced by Donald Byrd. This group released The Jazz Messengers on Columbia Records. Later in the year, the original group disbanded, but Blakey retained the Jazz Messengers name for his future groups.

The "Second" Messengers (1956–58)

For a brief period in 1956 Donald Byrd stayed on as a new lineup was formed. It included Kenny Drew, Wilbur Ware, and Ira Sullivan playing tenor sax rather than his main instrument, trumpet. The only recording of this version of the Messengers was two tracks backing up singer Rita Reys on The Cool Voice of Rita Reys on Columbia.

Blakey then formed a new lineup that would prove to be much more stable. The most notable name, at the time, was Jackie McLean. He was only 25, but had already recorded with Miles Davis and Charles Mingus. Bill Hardman, Sam Dockery and Jimmy "Spanky" DeBrest complete the group.

They recorded another record for Columbia: Hard Bop—still under the collective's moniker The Jazz Messengers. They went on to record for several different labels including RCA subsidiary Vik Records, Pacific Jazz, Elektra, Cadet, Jubilee, Bethlehem and a date on Atlantic featuring Thelonious Monk. Over this time the band's name evolved to include Blakey's name, starting with "The Jazz Messengers, featuring Art Blakey" on Ritual, then "Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers" on several records, and also "Art Blakey and his Jazz Messengers" on Cu-Bop.

Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers (1959–64)

In 1958, Blakey formed a new lineup with four Philadelphia natives: Lee Morgan, Benny Golson, Bobby Timmons, and Jymie Merritt. This marked the beginning of perhaps the most fruitful period of the Jazz Messengers. They returned to Blue Note and the first record—entitled simply Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers—produced their biggest hit: "Moanin'". It featured two more songs which would become Messengers classics, and jazz classics as well: "Blues March" and "Along Came Betty" by Benny Golson.

Golson left the band in 1959 after a European tour (which produced live albums and a film soundtrack on Fontana Records and French RCA) to be replaced, briefly, by Hank Mobley. Mobley did not accompany the band to a Canadian jazz festival in 1959; Lee Morgan encountered Wayne Shorter at the festival, and he joined the band in Mobley's place. This lineup produced several notable recordings, including the second Messenger album, A Night in Tunisia.

In 1961 the group expanded to a sextet with the addition of Curtis Fuller. This lineup produced a self-titled album for Impulse! Records. At the end of that summer, Lee Morgan and Bobby Timmons left and were replaced by Freddie Hubbard and Cedar Walton respectively. This lineup recorded Three Blind Mice for United Artists and two albums for Blue Note: Mosaic and Buhaina's Delight.

In mid-1962 Reggie Workman replaced long-time double bassist Jymie Merritt, who wanted to settle down in Philadelphia. This version of the group produced three albums for Riverside: Caravan, Ugetsu, and Kyoto; in addition to another Blue Note under the name Free for All. This lineup stayed together until March 1964, when Lee Morgan rejoined in place of Freddie Hubbard. Around this time—the recording date is unknown—the band produced an album from the musical Golden Boy for the Colpix label with an expanded lineup. This lineup included both Freddie Hubbard and Lee Morgan on trumpet, plus Charles Davis, Julius Watkins, and Bill Barber.

In April 1964, the Jazz Messengers produced their final, new, recording for the Blue Note label: Indestructible.

The "New" Messengers (1964–66)

In September 1964, Wayne Shorter left the Messengers to join the Miles Davis band that was later called the Second Great Quintet. Lee Morgan enlisted long-time Sun Ra tenor saxophonist John Gilmore to fill in—though it was understood he would return to Sun Ra after a time. Gilmore brought along fellow Arkestra member Victor Sproles and John Hicks joined on piano. The edition of the Messengers would see more quick turnover of members than the previous.

The band signed with Quincy Jones' new Mercury sub-label Limelight Records. This group—still including Curtis Fuller on trombone—recorded the first album for the label: 'S Make It. The band soon reverted to a quintet as Fuller departed. Alto saxophonist Gary Bartz replaced the departing John Gilmore and this quintet—with Freddie Hubbard sitting in alongside Morgan—recorded Soul Finger for Limelight.

By January 1966, the band had completely turned over again. Now Chuck Mangione occupied the trumpet chair with Frank Mitchell on tenor sax, Keith Jarrett on piano and Reggie Johnson on bass. This lineup produced the live album Buttercorn Lady under the moniker Art Blakey and the "New" Jazz Messengers. While the band continued to perform live, this would be the final Jazz Messengers recording of the decade.

The Fallow Decade (1966–76)

The late 1960s saw the ascendance of rock music in popular culture, and the jazz world was experimenting with free jazz and jazz fusion, styles Blakey did not care for. It was difficult for Blakey to maintain a steady lineup for the Messengers, during this period, and even more difficult to produce recordings. Between 1966 and 1972, the Messengers produced only a single official record: Jazz Messengers '70, a live date in Tokyo. This particular lineup included Bill Hardman, Carlos Garnett, Joanne Brackeen and Jan Arnet.

Blakey kept the Messengers working during this period—particularly abroad in Europe and Japan where they maintained their popularity. But the lineups were fluid, with several musicians rotating through based on who was available for the particular engagement. In various combinations, between 1966 and 1972 the band included trumpet players Woody Shaw and Randy Brecker in addition to Hardman; saxophonists Garnett, Mitchell, Billy Harper and Ramon Morris; and trombonists Slide Hampton and Julian Priester. The piano chair saw the greatest turnover. After Jarrett, pianists included Mike Nock, Lonnie Liston Smith, Chick Corea, McCoy Tyner, Ronnie Mathews, George Cables, Joanne Brackeen, Albert Dailey, plus occasionally veterans John Hicks, Cedar Walton, and Walter Davis Jr. Bassists included Juni Booth, Buster Williams, Larry Evans, Scotty Holt, Arnet, and Mickey Bass.

In 1972 the Messengers were signed to Prestige Records and produced three albums. Child's Dance featured pieces from two recording sessions on 1972, with different, expanded, and somewhat overlapping lineups. The regular Messengers on the album were Woody Shaw; Ramon Morris; John Hicks, Walter Davis Jr. and George Cables on both acoustic and electric pianos; and Mickey Bass. The band was augmented by Buddy Terry (soprano sax), Manny Boyd (flute), Michael Howard (guitar), Stanley Clarke (electric bass), and percussionists Nathaniel Bettis, Sonny Morgan, Pablo Landrum, Emmanuel Rahim and Ray Mantilla for different tunes across the two sessions.

In 1973, a regular lineup of Woody Shaw, newcomer Carter Jefferson, Cedar Walton, and Mickey Bass recorded two more Prestige albums: Anthenagin and Buhaina. Conga player Tony Waters appears on Anthenagin and trombonist Steve Turre appears on Buhaina.

Blakey struggled to keep the band going the next three years. Only one recording—a 1975 collaboration with Sonny Stitt called In Walked Sonny on the Swedish Sonet label—was produced between 1973 and 1976. That album included long time trumpet stalwart Bill Hardman again occupying the trumpet chair. David Schnitter was now on tenor sax and would stay with the Messengers for some time to come. Walter Davis Jr. was back on piano, and the new bassist was Isao Suzuki. The Messengers were still popular in Japan, and travelled there annually. Hardman and Schnitter were constants throughout this period. Pianists also included Albert Dailey and Mickey Tucker and bassists after Suzuki included Cameron Brown and Chris Amberger.

Messengers rejuvenation (1976–90)

In 1976, the Messengers recorded a record for Roulette – Backgammon—featuring Hardman, Schnitter, Dailey and Suzuki. In that year Blakey began a professional relationship with Wim Wigt, a Dutch music booker and owner of the Timeless label. Wigt booked the Messengers throughout Europe. A second record for Roulette followed, featuring Schnitter, Walter Davis Jr. and newcomers Valery Ponomarev, Bobby Watson, and Dennis Irwin. From this point the lineups began to stabilize as the band worked more regularly.

In October 1977, Blakey hired a new, regular, pianist: James Williams. This group (Ponomarev, Watson, Schnitter, Willams and Irwin) recorded In My Prime Vol. 1 in November 1977 for Wigt's Timeless label. In 1978 they recorded In This Korner for Concord Jazz and In My Prime Vol. 2 and Reflections in Blue for Timeless. In February 1979, they recorded the third Messengers album entitled Night in Tunisia for Philips. In November 1979 they recorded One by One, a live album in Italy, for the Italian Palcoscenico label.

In 1979, Blakey decided to assemble an 11-piece "big band" to take on a European tour in 1980. This band was unique in that it included two sets of brothers: Wynton and Branford Marsalis and Robin and Kevin Eubanks, and that the group had the first guitarist that Blakey ever hired, Bobby Broom. The young musicians were cultivated by playing in the smaller Jazz Messengers combo around New York City through 1979. Broom left the group before the 1980 tour. These would be Ponomarev's last appearances with the Messengers. While Watson and Williams continued with the Messengers, David Schnitter was replaced by Bill Pierce and Dennis Irwin was replaced by Charles Fambrough. This band also featured a second drummer: John Ramsay. Live at Montreux and Northsea by the Jazz Messengers Big Band was recorded at the Northsea and Montreux Jazz Festivals by Timeless.

The regular working sextet that emerged from this European tour now included Wynton Marsalis, Bobby Watson, Bill Pierce, James Williams and Charles Fambrough. This group produced Art Blakey in Sweden on the Amigo label, Album of the Year on Timeless and Straight Ahead on the Concord Jazz imprint—all in early 1981.

When Branford Marsalis graduated from the Berklee College of Music in 1981, he joined his brother in place of Bobby Watson. Donald Brown replaced James Williams at this time as well. In January 1982 this lineup produced Keystone 3, the third live album recorded by the band at Keystone Korner in San Francisco.

Wynton Marsalis' star was rising quickly. He and his brother left to form their own band in early 1982. Due to Donald Brown's struggles with arthritis, he left the band at this time as well. The new lineup was Terence Blanchard and Donald Harrison on the front line, and Johnny O'Neal on piano, joining Pierce and Fambrough. This lineup recorded Oh-By the Way for Timeless in 1982. The band turned over gradually over the next year. Pierce left to begin teaching at Berklee in September 1982. He was replaced by Jean Toussaint. Fambrough left in mid-1983 to be replaced by Lonnie Plaxico. And Mulgrew Miller took over for Johnny O'Neal in 1984.

This new lineup – Blanchard, Harrison, Toussaint, Miller, and Plaxico—stayed together throughout 1985, into 1986. They recorded New York Scene in 1984 and Live at Kimball's in 1985, both for Concord Jazz. A live date from Ronnie Scott's in London also appeared.

Blanchard and Harrison formed their own band in mid-1986. They were replaced by Wallace Roney and Kenny Garrett, respectively. Tim Williams was also added on trombone. This group recorded the Feeling Good album for Delos.

By the end of 1987 the band had turned over once again. Philip Harper was the new trumpet player, Javon Jackson joined on tenor, and Robin Eubanks returned on trombone. The new pianist was Benny Green and Peter Washington was the bassist.

This lineup recorded Not Yet and I Get a Kick Out of Bu (with Leon Dorsey replacing Washington on bass), both for Soul Note in 1988.

In 1989, what became the final Jazz Messengers lineup was established: Brian Lynch on trumpet, Javon Jackson and Dale Barlow on tenors, Steve Davis and/or Frank Lacy on trombone, Geoff Keezer on piano and Essiet Okon Essiet on bass.

A concert at the Leverkusen Jazz Festival in Germany commemorated in October 1989 commemorated Blakey's 70th birthday. Playing were the current messengers, plus many special guests: Freddie Hubbard, Terence Blanchard, Donald Harrison, Jackie McLean, Wayne Shorter, Benny Golson, Curtis Fuller, Walter Davis Jr., Buster Williams, Roy Haynes, and Michele Hendricks singing a song composed for the occasion by Horace Silver.

This final group recorded the final Messengers album, One for All, on A&M Records.

Discography

Main article: The Jazz Messengers discography

Former members

Jazz Messengers Timeline

Notes

The album is commonly called Moanin, and reissues used that title.
Blakey would produce one more, non-Messengers, album for the Limelight label in 1966: Hold On, I'm Coming (album).
While Brecker's tenure is confirmed by multiple sources, it must have been quite short; likely a few months in 1969.
Wallace Roney filled in on trumpet while Wynton Marsalis took a leave of absence in the summer of 1981.

References

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^ Feather, Leonard; Gitler, Ira (1999). The Biographical Encyclopedia of Jazz. Oxford University Press. p. 65. ISBN 9780199729074.
^ "Art Blakey". National Endowment for the Arts. Retrieved September 16, 2014.
^ Goldsher, Alan (2008). Hard Bop Academy: The Sidemen of Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers (1 ed.). Milwaukee, Wisconsin: Hal Leonard. pp. 2–5. ISBN 9780634037931.
^ "Art Blakey Biography". Biography. Retrieved September 16, 2014.
^ "Art Blakey". PBS. Retrieved September 16, 2014.
^ Kelsey, Chris. "Art Blakey". AllMusic. Retrieved September 16, 2014.
Art Blakey Quintet (1954). A Night at Birdland Vol. 3 (CD/ 10" LP record). BLP 5039/CDP 7243 5 32147 2 2. Blue Note Records.
^ "Art Blakey". DrummerWorld. Retrieved September 16, 2014.
Bock, Gordon (10 January 1979). "The Telegraph – Google News Archive Search". Google News. Retrieved 25 July 2017.
^ Gourse, Leslie (2002). Art Blakey: Jazz Messenger. New York: Schirmer Trade Books. ISBN 978-0825672729.
^ "Art Blakey Discography". JazzDisco.org]. Retrieved September 17, 2014.
^ Schwartz, Steve; Fitzgerald, Michael. "Chronology of Art Blakey (and the Jazz Messengers)". Jazz Discography. Retrieved September 16, 2014.
Art Blakey Quintet (1954). A Night at Birdland Vol. 1 (10" LP record). BLP 5037. Blue Note Records.
^ Kirchner, Bill, ed. (2005). The Oxford Companion to jazz (Pbk ed.). New York: Oxford University Press. pp. 376–381. ISBN 0195183592.
"Art Blakey". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved September 16, 2014.
^ "Blakey, Arthur". PSU. Archived from the original on September 10, 2013. Retrieved September 16, 2014.
"Art Blakey". All About Jazz. Retrieved September 16, 2014.
Taylor, Arthur (1993). Notes and Tones: Musician-to-Musician Interviews. New York: Da Capo Press. ISBN 030680526X.
^ Feather, Leonard (1955). At the Cafe Bohemia, Vol. 1 (liner notes). BLP 1508. The Jazz Messengers. Blue Note Records.
Gitler, Ira (1955). Horace Silver and the Jazz Messengers (liner notes). BLP 1518. Horace Silver and the Jazz Messengers. Blue Note Records.
Rosenthal, David H.; Blakey, Art (1986). "The Big Beat!". The Black Perspective in Music. 14 (3): 267–289. doi:10.2307/1215067. ISSN 0090-7790. JSTOR 1215067.
Avakian, George (1956). The Jazz Messengers (liner notes). CL 897. The Jazz Messengers. Columbia Records.
Avakian, George (1956). The Cool Voice of Rita Reys (liner notes). CL 903. Reys, Rita, The Wes Ilcken Combo, The Jazz Messengers. Columbia Records.
Hentoff, Nat (1956). Hard Bop (liner notes). CL 1040. The Jazz Messengers. Columbia Records.
Michel, Ed (1957). Ritual: The Jazz Messengers featuring Art Blakey (liner notes). PJM 402. The Jazz Messengers; Blakey, Art. Pacific Jazz Records.
Hentoff, Nat (1957). Hard Drive (liner notes). BCP 6023. Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers. Bethlehem Records.
Hentoff, Nat (1958). A Night in Tunisia (liner notes). LAX 1115. Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers. Vik Records.
Williams, Martin (1958). Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers with Thelonious Monk (liner notes). 1278. Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers; Monk, Thelonious. Atlantic Records.
Hentoff, Nat (1957). Cu-Bop (liner notes). JLP 1049. Art Blakey and his Jazz Messengers; Sabu. Jubilee Records.
Feather, Leonard (1958). Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers (liner notes). BLP 4003. Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers. Blue Note Records.
Romano, Marcel (1959). Olympia Concert (liner notes). 680 202. Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers. Fontana Records.
des femmes disparaissent (liner notes). 660 224. The Jazz Messengers. Fontana Records. 1959.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
Art Blakey et les Jazz-Messengers au Club St. Germain, Vol. 1 (liner notes). 430.043. Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers. RCA Records (France). 1959.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
Gardner, Barbara J. (1960). A Night in Tunisia (liner notes). BLP 4049. Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers. Blue Note Records.
Katz, Dick (1961). Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers (liner notes). A 7. Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers. Impulse! Records.
Three Blind Mice (liner notes). UAJ 14002. Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers. United Artists Records. 1962.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
Feather, Leonard (1961). Mosaic (liner notes). BLP 4090. Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers. Blue Note Records.
Feather, Leonard (1961). Buhaina's Delight (liner notes). BLP 4104. Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers. Blue Note Records.
Gitler, Ira (1962). Caravan (liner notes). RLP 438. Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers. Riverside Records.
Sherman, Ed (1963). Ugetsu (liner notes). RLP 464. Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers. Riverside Records.
Gitler, Ira (1964). Kyoto (liner notes). RLP 493. Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers. Riverside Records.
Hentoff, Nat (1964). Free for All (liner notes). BLP 4170. Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers. Blue Note Records.
Taylor, Billy (1964). Play Selections from the new Musical Golden Boy (liner notes). CP 478. Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers. Colpix Records.
Feather, Leonoard (1964). Indestructible (liner notes). BLP 4193. Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers. Blue Note Records.
Feather, Leonard; Blakey, Art (1965). 'S Make It (liner notes). LM 82001. Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers. Limelight Records.
Buttercorn Lady (liner notes). LM 82034. Art Blakey and the New Jazz Messengers. Limelight Records. 1966.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
Cerulli, Dom (1966). Hold On, I'm Comin' (liner notes). LM 82038. Blakey, Art. Limelight Records.
Child's Dance (liner notes). PR 10076. Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers. Prestige Records. 1972.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
Anthenagin (liner notes). PR 10076. Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers. Prestige Records. 1973.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
Buhaina (liner notes). PR 10067. Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers. Prestige Records. 1973.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
Cuscuna, Michael (1976). Backgammon (liner notes). 5003. Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers. Roulette Records.
Gypsy Folk Tales (liner notes). 5008. Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers. Roulette Records. 1977.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
Watson, Bobby (1981). Live at Montreux and Northsea (liner notes). SJP 150. Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers Big Band. Timeless Records.
Crouch, Stanley (1982). Wynton Marsalis (liner notes). FC 37574. Marsalis, Wynton. Columbia Records.
Dorritie, Frank (1982). Keystone 3 (liner notes). CJ 196. Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers. Concord Jazz.
Feeling Good (liner notes). DE 4007. Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers. Delos Records. 1986.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
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v t e The Jazz Messengers
Art Blakey Dale Barlow Mickey Bass Terence Blanchard Joanne Brackeen Cameron Brown Donald Brown Bobby Broom Donald Byrd George Cables Buck Clarke Chick Corea Steve Davis Spanky DeBrest Sam Dockery Kenny Dorham Essiet Essiet Robin Eubanks Charles Fambrough Curtis Fuller Carlos Garnett John Gilmore Benny Golson Benny Green Johnny Griffin Bill Hardman Donald Harrison Philip Harper John Hicks Freddie Hubbard Dennis Irwin Javon Jackson Carter Jefferson Geoffrey Keezer Frank Lacy Brian Lynch Branford Marsalis Wynton Marsalis Jackie McLean Jymie Merritt Mulgrew Miller Hank Mobley Lee Morgan Billy Pierce Lonnie Plaxico Valery Ponomarev Wallace Roney Gregory Charles Royal David Schnitter Woody Shaw Clarence Seay Wayne Shorter Horace Silver Victor Sproles Bobby Timmons Jean Toussaint McCoy Tyner Cedar Walton Peter Washington Doug Watkins Bobby Watson James Williams Reggie Workman
Studio albums	The Jazz Messengers (1956) Hard Bop (1957) Ritual (1957) Selections from Lerner and Loewe's... (1957) Cu-Bop (1957) Hard Drive (1957) A Night in Tunisia (1958) Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers with Thelonious Monk (1958) Moanin' (1959) The Big Beat (1960) A Night in Tunisia (1961) Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers (1961) Mosaic (1962) Buhaina's Delight (1963) Caravan (1963) The Freedom Rider (1964) Free for All (1964) Kyoto (1964) Golden Boy (1964) Indestructible (1965) 'S Make It (1965) Soul Finger (1965) Tough! (1966) Like Someone in Love (1967) The Witch Doctor (1969) Roots & Herbs (1970) Child's Dance (1972) Buhaina (1973) Anthenagin (1973) In Walked Sonny (1975) Backgammon (1976) Gypsy Folk Tales (1977) In My Prime Vol. 1 (1978) In My Prime Vol. 2 (1978) Reflections in Blue (1979) Night in Tunisia: Digital Recording (1979) Album of the Year (1981) Oh-By the Way (1984) Blue Night (1985) Feeling Good (1986) Not Yet (1988) I Get a Kick Out of Bu (1988) Chippin' In (1990) One for All (1990)
Live albums	At the Cafe Bohemia, Vol. 1 (1956) At the Cafe Bohemia, Vol. 2 (1956) A Midnight Session with the Jazz Messengers (1957) 1958 – Paris Olympia (1959) At the Jazz Corner of the World, Vols. 1 & 2 (1959) Art Blakey et les Jazz Messengers au Théâtre des Champs-Élysées (1960) Paris Jam Session (1960) Meet You at the Jazz Corner of the World, Vols. 1 and 2 (1960) A Jazz Hour with Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers: Blues March (1961) Three Blind Mice (1962) Ugetsu (1963) Buttercorn Lady (1966) Jazz Messengers '70 (1970) In This Korner (1978) Live at Montreux and Northsea (1980) One by One (1981) Art Blakey in Sweden (1981) Straight Ahead (1981) Keystone 3 (1982) Live at Kimball's (1985) The Art of Jazz: Live in Leverkusen (1989)
Compilation albums	Horace Silver and the Jazz Messengers (1956) The Cool Voice of Rita Reys (1956) Drum Suite (1957) Pisces (1979) Africaine (1981) Originally (1982)
Soundtrack albums	Des Femmes Disparaissent (1959) Les liaisons dangereuses 1960 (1960)
Art Blakey solo albums	Blakey (1954)* A Night at Birdland Vol. 1, Vol. 2 & Vol. 3 (1954) Orgy in Rhythm (1957) Art Blakey Big Band (1957) Holiday for Skins (1958) Drums Around the Corner (1959) The African Beat (1962) A Jazz Message (1963) Hold On, I'm Coming (1966) Killer Joe (1981) Bluesiana Triangle (1990)
Related	Discography

v t e Terence Blanchard
Years given are for the recording(s), not first release, unless stated otherwise.
Albums	Terence Blanchard (1991) Simply Stated (1992) The Malcolm X Jazz Suite (1992) In My Solitude: The Billie Holiday Songbook (1993) Romantic Defiance (1994) The Heart Speaks (1995) Jazz in Film (1998) Wandering Moon (1999) Let's Get Lost (2001) Bounce (2003) Flow (2004) A Tale of God's Will (A Requiem for Katrina) (2007) Choices (2009) Chano y Dizzy! (with Poncho Sanchez, 2011) Magnetic (2013) Breathless (2015) Live (2018) Absence (2021)
Film scores/ soundtracks	Mo' Better Blues (with Branford Marsalis, 1990) Inside Man (2006) BlacKkKlansman (2018) Da 5 Bloods (2020) One Night in Miami... (2021) The Woman King (2022)
Operas	Champion (2013) Fire Shut Up in My Bones (2019)
Related articles	List of awards and nominations The Jazz Messengers

v t e Joanne Brackeen
Years given are for the recording(s), not first release, unless stated otherwise.
Studio albums	Snooze (1975) Invitation (1976) New True Illusion (with Clint Houston, 1976) Tring-a-Ling (1977) AFT (1977) Trinkets and Things (with Ryo Kawasaki, 1978) Prism (with Eddie Gómez, 1978) Mythical Magic (1978) Keyed In (1979) Ancient Dynasty (1979) Special Identity (1981) Havin' Fun (1985) Fi-Fi Goes to Heaven (1986) Breath of Brazil (1991) Is It Really True (1991) Where Legends Dwell (1991) Take a Chance (1993) Pink Elephant Magic (1998) Popsicle Illusion (2000)
Live albums	Live at Maybeck Recital Hall, Volume 1 (1989) Turnaround (1992) Power Talk (1994)
Related articles	The Jazz Messengers

v t e George Cables
Years given are for the recording(s), not first release, unless stated otherwise.
Studio albums	Why Not (1975) Circle (1979) Cables' Vision (1979) Goin' Home (with Art Pepper, 1982) Tête-à-Tête (with Art Pepper, 1982) Phantom of the City (1985) Double Image (with Frank Morgan, 1986) By George (1987) Cables Fables (1991) I Mean You (1993) Quiet Fire (1994) Person to Person (1995) Skylark (1995) Dark Side, Light Side (1996) Bluesology (1997) One for My Baby (2000) Senorita de Aranjuez (2001) Shared Secrets (2001) Looking for the Light (2003) A Letter to Dexter (2004) You Don't Know Me (2007) My Muse (2012) Icons & Influences (2013) In Good Company (2015) The George Cables Songbook (2016)
Live albums	Morning Song (1980) George Cables at Maybeck (1994)
Related articles	The Jazz Messengers Bebop & Beyond

v t e Kenny Garrett
Years given are for the recording(s), not first release, unless stated otherwise.
Studio albums	Introducing Kenny Garrett (1984) Garrett 5 (1988) Prisoner of Love (1989) African Exchange Student (1990) Black Hope (1992) Triology (1995) Pursuance: The Music of John Coltrane (1996) Songbook (1997) Simply Said (1999) Happy People (2002) Standard of Language (2003) Beyond the Wall (2006) Seeds from the Underground (2012) Pushing the World Away (2013) Do Your Dance! (2016) Sounds from the Ancestors! (2021) Who Killed AI? (2024)
Live albums	Ja-Hed (1991) Stars & Stripes (1993) Dreyfus Night In Paris (1994) Sketches of MD (2008)
Compilations	Old Folks (1987,1992) Casino Lights '99 (1999) V.A. Relief (2021)
Related articles	The Jazz Messengers Out of the Blue

v t e Bill Hardman
Years given are for the recording(s), not first release, unless stated otherwise.
Albums	Saying Something (1961) Home (1978) Focus (1980) Politely (1981) What's Up (1989)
Related articles	The Jazz Messengers

v t e John Hicks
Years given are for the recording(s), not first release, unless stated otherwise.
As leader or co-leader	Hells Bells (1975) Steadfast (1975) After the Morning (West 54, 1979) Some Other Time (1981) John Hicks (1982) In Concert (1984) Inc. 1 (1985) Luminous (and Elise Wood, 1985–88) Two of a Kind (and Ray Drummond, 1986–87) I'll Give You Something to Remember Me By (1987) East Side Blues (1988) Naima's Love Song (1988) Oleo (New York Unit, 1989) Rhythm-a-Ning (and Kenny Barron, 1989) Blue Bossa (New York Unit, 1990) Is That So? (1990) Live at Maybeck Recital Hall, Volume Seven (1990) Power Trio (1990) St. Thomas: Tribute to Great Tenors (1991) Tribute to George Adams (1991–92) After the Morning (Dominic Sciscente Music, 1992) Blues March: Portrait of Art Blakey (1992) Crazy for You (1992) Friends Old and New (1992) Moanin': Portrait of Art Blakey (1992) Now's the Time (New York Unit, 1992) Over the Rainbow (New York Unit, 1992) Single Petal of a Rose (1992) The Missouri Connection (and Jay McShann, 1992) Beyond Expectations (1993) Lover Man: A Tribute to Billie Holiday (1993) Akari (New York Unit, 1994) Duality (and Peter Leitch, 1994) Gentle Rain (1994) In the Mix (1994) Heart Beats (Keystone Trio, 1995) Piece for My Peace (1995) Cry Me a River (1997) Newklear Music (Keystone Trio, 1997) Nightwind: An Erroll Garner Songbook (1997) Something to Live For: A Billy Strayhorn Songbook (1997) Trio + Strings (1997) Hicks Time (released 1998) Impressions of Mary Lou (1998) Beautiful Friendship (and Elise Wood, 2000) Music in the Key of Clark (2001) Fatha's Day: An Earl Hines Songbook (2003) Twogether (with Frank Morgan, 2005–6) I Remember You (2006) On the Wings of an Eagle (2006) Sweet Love of Mine (2006)
With Art Blakey	'S Make It (and The Jazz Messengers, 1964) Soul Finger (and The Jazz Messengers, 1965) Hold On, I'm Coming (1966) Child's Dance (and The Jazz Messengers, 1972)
With Arthur Blythe	Illusions (1980) Blythe Spirit (1981) Blythe Byte (2001) Exhale (2002)
With David Murray	Morning Song (1983) Sketches of Tokyo (co-led, 1985) I Want to Talk About You (1986) Ming's Samba (1988) Ballads for Bass Clarinet (1991) David Murray/James Newton Quintet (1991) Fast Life (1991) MX (1992) For Aunt Louise (1993) Jazzosaurus Rex (1993) Love and Sorrow (1993) Saxmen (1993) Like a Kiss that Never Ends (2000)
With Pharoah Sanders	Journey to the One (1979) Pharoah Sanders Live... (1981) Rejoice (1981) Africa (1987) A Prayer Before Dawn (1987)
With others	Solid! (Eric Alexander, 1998) Sunday in New York (Eric Alexander, 2005) Eby (Hamiet Bluiett, 1984) Fast Last! (Lester Bowie, 1974) Now It's My Turn (Betty Carter, 1976) The Audience with Betty Carter (1979) It's Not About the Melody (Betty Carter, 1992) Gardenias for Lady Day (James Carter, 2003) The Bassist: Homage to Diversity (Richard Davis, released 2001) Structurally Sound (Booker Ervin, 1966) Flying Colors (Ricky Ford, 1980) Interpretations (Ricky Ford, 1982) Awakening (Sonny Fortune, 1985) The Outside Within (Chico Freeman, 1978) Spirit Sensitive (Chico Freeman, 1978–79) Habana (Roy Hargrove, 1997) Again and Again (Oliver Lake, 1991) 52nd Street Themes (Joe Lovano, 1999) On This Day ... Live at The Vanguard (Joe Lovano, 2002) Streams of Expression (Joe Lovano, 2005) Hi Voltage (Hank Mobley, 1967) Taru (Lee Morgan, 1968) Staying on the Watch (Sonny Simmons, 1966) Live at the Loosdrecht Jazz Festival (Charles Tolliver, 1972) Love Remains (Bobby Watson, 1986)

v t e Wallace Roney
Years given are for the recording(s), not first release, unless stated otherwise.
Studio albums	Verses (1987) Intuition (1988) The Standard Bearer (1989) Obsession (1990) Seth Air (1991) A Tribute to Miles (with Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams, 1992 & 1994) Munchin' (1993) Crunchin' (1993) Mistérios (1994) The Wallace Roney Quintet (1995) Village (1996) No Room for Argument (2000) Prototype (2004) Mystikal (2005) Jazz (2007) Home (2010) Understanding (2012) A Place in Time (2016) Blue Dawn-Blue Nights (2018)
Live albums	If Only for One Night (2009)
Related articles	The Jazz Messengers Superblue Antoine Roney (brother) Geri Allen (wife)

v t e Reggie Workman
Years given are for the recording(s), not first release, unless stated otherwise.
Studio albums	The Super Jazz Trio (1978) Something Tasty (1979) The Standard (1980) Trio Transition (1987) Trio Transition with Special Guest Oliver Lake (1988) Summit Conference (1993) Cerebral Caverns (1995)
Live albums	Synthesis (1986) Images (1989) Altered Spaces (1992)
Related articles	Trio 3 The Jazz Messengers New York Art Quartet

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