Moanin'

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Tenor saxophonist Benny Golson was reaching maturity in both his playing and composing that brought a sense of balance to the group, and completing the line up along with Blakey on drums was the funky playing of Bobby Timmons and the firm and steady bass playing of Jymie Merritt. The album stands as one of the archetypal hard bop albums of the era, for the intensity of Blakey's drumming and the work of Morgan, Golson, and Timmons, and for its combination of old-fashioned gospel and blues influences with a sophisticated modern jazz sensibility. The album was identified by jazz critic Scott Yanow as one of "17 Essential Hard Bop Recordings". [6] AllMusic gives it a five-star review, stating: " Moanin' includes some of the greatest music Blakey produced in the studio with arguably his very best band. ... ranks with the very best of Blakey and what modern jazz offered in the late '50s and beyond." [1] Influence [ edit ] Golson performed with artists such as Tadd Dameron, Lionel Hampton, and Johnny Hodges before joining the Dizzy Gillespie band on a tour of South America from 1956-58, the same years Morgan played for Gillespie. Golson's tunes "Are You Real?," "Along Came Betty," "The Drum Thunder Suite," and "Blues March" lend a notable variety and versatility to Moanin', utilizing varied song forms and musical styles. As an improviser, Golson's smooth tone and fluid lines contrast with and complement the aggressive playing of Lee Morgan. Blues March ‘ is exactly that, and reminiscent of the old New Orleans marching bands, albeit updated for 1958.

They confirm what an original and resourceful writer he is, and it is perhaps these that deserve re-evaluation and that make the album such an overall success.Early Jazz Messengers featured trumpeter Kenny Dorham and alto saxophonist Lou Donaldson; and was immediately followed a short while later with a stellar band featuring Clifford Brown and Hank Mobley in the front line. Moanin’ | Art Blakey’s Finest Legendary h ard bop drummer Art Blakey may have an extensive discography, but his Jazz Messenger album ‘Moanin’ is regarded by most aficionados as his finest. His thunderous approach, deep rooted swing and signature press roll on the snare drum made him one of the most instantly identifiable and influential drummers in jazz. Benny Golson's "Drum Thunder Suite" was composed to satisfy Blakey's desire to record a song using mallets extensively. The suite consists of three contrasting themes. The first theme, "Drum Thunder," is primarily a drum solo with horns playing short melodic ideas in unison (soli writing). The second theme, "Cry a Blue Tear," utilizes a strongly Latin rhythm in the drums. It features a lyrical melody with trumpet and saxophone playing complementary lines. The final theme, "Harlem's Disciples," begins with a funky melody, and then a piano solo sets the stage for the concluding drum solo. "The Drum Thunder Suite" makes interesting use of different stylistic approaches and arranging techniques.

Over the years The Jazz Messengers amassed a huge amount of original compositions, and each new member of the band was supposed to know them all. Blakey didn’t allow the musicians to use sheet music on stage, so when you got the call to join the band you had your work cut out for you! Brian Lynch is one of the trumpeters who joined the band in the 80’s, and a guy I’ve become friendly with. He told me the story of when he got the call from Blakey. Art told him “be on the next plane to Paris, we have a gig one week from today”. Brian spent the next week furiously studying the Messengers’ records, trying to learn every song he could. Of course, the first song Art called on his first gig was one he hadn’t learned, and Brian had to just hang on and hope for the best! After the gig, Blakey took him aside and told him that better not happen again. How’s that for trial by fire?? However, perhaps the most remarkable piece on the album is Golson’s ‘ The Drum Thunder Suite‘, which was written especially at Blakey’s request to have a piece for use of mallets exclusively. As such, the list of musicians who have passed through the Messengers academy is a veritable who’s who of jazz up until his death in 1990. His progress, and indeed that of the modern jazz movement that saw the music move away from big bands and dance orientated orchestra to a serious art form that should be listened to and understood, was rapid.One of the greats that Blakey mentored was tenor saxophonist Wayne Shorter, who in the late ‘50s to early ‘60s became the music director of the band and primary composer. He delivered several new songs to the Messengers set list, including “Chess Players,” “Lester Left Town,” “Children of the Night,” “Ping-Pong” “On the Ginza” and “Mr. Jin” among many others. After five years (a long term) with Blakey, Shorter jumped ship and joined Miles Davis’s soon-to-be-classic quintet.