Art Blakey - Vol.2, Seven Classic Albums (4CD) (2013)

Great Small group bop! This is the beginning of Wayne Shorter's tenure as Music Director. This anthology represents a peak in The Jazz Messenger's story beginning with such brightly hued originals as "The Chess Players" and "Lester Left Town" from THE BIG BEAT (1960), Morgan (tpt), Shorter (ts), Timmons (p.), Merritt (b), Blakey (d). This is the classic Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers signature style: inventive solos, driving, witty arrangements-in short everything you could want in a jazz masterpiece circa 1960. LIKE SOMEONE IN LOVE is the second memorable studio outing from The Jazz Messengers that year, most notable for the title track and the lyrical "Johnny's Blue". Blakey was at the helm of several "live" dates and MEET ME AT THE JAZZ CORNER OF THE WORLD VOLUME ONE and VOLUME TWO are honorable contenders for the title of "best". "Round About Midnight" demonstrates what skilled interpreters Art and The Messengers were when it came to Thelonious Monk's compositions , while VOLUME TWO's selection of originals provides sheer pleasure- I never tire of listening to this album. 1961' s THE FREEDOM RIDERS is the last in this collection to feature Lee Morgan, who takes several brilliant solo flights. Art's gift for hiring the best of the younger players is accentuated by the substitution of Freddie Hubbard on THREE BLIND MICE (1962) coupled with the expansion of the group to a sextet by adding trombonist Curtis Fuller. Cedar Walton, a brilliant and undersung talent on piano, adds several sparkling and witty solos to the procedings. This is a neglected gem of a date ably mixing classic standards such as "Blue Moon", That Old Feeling", "Up Jumped Spring", " When Lights Are Low" with originals such as "Plexis" and "Three Blind Mice". . The collection concludes with the percussion driven THE AFRICAN BEAT ( with THE AFRO-DRUM ENSEMBLE) fleshed out by the special guest stars Yusef Lateef on reeds, Ahmed Abdul Malik on bass. Certainly an adventurous undertaking! All in all, Art Blakey, Volume Two: Seven Classic Albums is a feast for the ears, not to be missed by any music lover.