Art Blakey & The New Jazz Messengers - Buttercorn Lady (Remastered) (2026) [Hi-Res]

As these words are written, Art Blakey continues to lead with the same energy and authority that has defined his career, keeping the New Messengers a vital force in modern jazz. At the heart of the band is the remarkably gifted young pianist Keith Jarrett, born May 8, 1945, in Allentown, Pennsylvania. From his earliest days, Jarrett displayed an uncanny facility for music, performing professionally before his teens and already commanding attention with extended solo concerts by the mid-1960s. His playing on this album ranges from soulful interpretation to daring experimentation, giving the listener only a taste of the extraordinary breadth he brings to every performance.

Joining Jarrett are Reggie Johnson on bass, whose background spans trombone, army bands, and work with leading modern jazz artists, and Frank Mitchell on tenor sax, a forceful improviser who drives the band's intensity forward. Together they form a unit that balances precision with fire, responding to Blakey’s polyrhythmic leadership with remarkable agility.

The recordings took place at the Lighthouse in Hermosa Beach, California, a modest 130-seat venue whose legacy as a West Coast jazz landmark is unmatched. Under the guidance of Howard Rumsey, the Lighthouse has long been a haven for musicians, providing the instruments, atmosphere, and audience that allow a band like the New Messengers to thrive. Blakey himself notes that the club's environment, from the quality of the piano to the comfort of the dressing room, contributes as much to the success of the performances as any single musical factor.

Musically, the album opens with Chuck Mangione’s 'Buttercorn Lady', a melody with a gentle Caribbean lilt that sets the stage for Jarrett’s first remarkable solos. 'Recuerdo' follows, a composition in which Mangione’s thoughtful writing and Jarrett’s delicate yet adventurous keyboard work intertwine with Mitchell and Johnson to create an intensely expressive conversation. Side Two features the hard-driving 'Between Races', highlighting Mitchell’s inventive saxophone lines, and the timeless 'My Romance', in which Jarrett’s lyrical touch adds fresh nuance to a classic standard. The album closes with a vigorous rendition of 'Secret Love', a tour de force for the entire ensemble and a vivid demonstration of Blakey’s relentless rhythmic guidance.

This record is, above all, a testament to a band operating at peak energy, a young ensemble guided by a master, blending improvisation, structure, and sheer excitement. It preserves the spirit of a live experience, the excitement of a club performance, and the brilliance of musicians who were, even at this early stage, shaping the future of jazz. — Leonard Feather

"Few jazz followers would think of trumpeter Chuck Mangione and pianist Keith Jarrett as former members of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, but in 1966, they both worked in the drummer's classic hard bop unit and the stint gave them needed exposure and helped the pair to develop their own individual voices. With tenor saxophonist Frank Mitchell and bassist Reggie Johnson completing the quintet, this particular version of the Jazz Messengers only had the opportunity to record this one excellent live LP but proved to be a worthy successor to their more acclaimed predecessors." (Scott Yanow, AMG)

Art Blakey, drums
Chuck Mangione, trumpet
Frank Mitchell, tenor saxophone
Keith Jarrett, piano
Reggie Johnson, bass

Recorded January 1 & 9, 1966 at The Lighthouse, Hermosa Beach, California

Digitally remastered