
Arthur "Art" Blakey (October 11, 1919 – October 16, 1990), known later as Abdullah Ibn Buhaina, was an American Grammy Award-winning jazz drummer and bandleader. He was a member of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community.Jazz drummer Art Blakey grew up in a religious family, and he learned to play the piano in church. He gigged in Pittsburg clubs as a pianist, and later switched to the drums. Guided by swing drummer Chick Webb, Blakey developed great skill at the instrument, and he began to make a name for himself while performing with pianist and composer Mary Lou Williams.
In 1939, Blakey joined Fletcher Henderson’s band, and later played with bandleader Billy Eckstine. In that group, Blakey had the opportunity to play with Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie. He contributed to the development of the bebop style of drumming, pioneered by drummers Kenny Clarke and Max Roach. By the late 1940s, Blakey was one of the top drummers on the scene, playing with musicians such as Miles Davis and Thelonious Monk. In 1948, Blakey visited West Africa, where he was exposed to Islam and to the polyrhythms in African music. This visit had a profound impact on his life and work. He began to consider himself a Muslim, and took the name Abdullah Ibn Buhaina. He also sought to infuse bebop with a soulful and powerfully rhythmic drive, sewing the seeds of the hard bop style. In 1954, Blakey formed a quintet with pianist Horace Silver, bassist Curly Russel, saxophonist Lou Donaldson, and trumpeter Clifford Brown. They recorded the seminal album Live at Birdland, Vol. 1. This album marked the beginnings of the Jazz Messengers, which Blakey later dubbed his small ensembles. The Jazz Messengers became a pinnacle group of the 1950s and early sixties, and launched the careers of many legendary jazz musicians.
Blakey populated the Jazz Messengers with the most talented young musicians. At one time or another, his group included Wayne Shorter, Freddie Hubbard, Lee Morgan, Hank Mobley, and Benny Golson, and decades later, contemporary stars such as Wynton Marsalis, Terence Blanchard, and Kenny Garrett. Playing in Blakey’s group was practically a pre-requisite for becoming a serious jazz musician. Since Blakey didn’t compose very much, band members could hone their composing skills.
The Jazz Messengers continued in various forms throughout the decades, through peaks and valleys of critical and commercial success. Wynton Marsalis and the “Young Lions” of the 1980s and ‘90s, adopted Blakey’s emphasis on soulfulness and swing, which paved the way for the modern straight-ahead school of jazz.
Art Blakey died of lung cancer in 1990, just after his 71st birthday. To this day, his propulsive drumming style and the body of work he spurred by leading the Jazz Messengers are regarded as two essential elements of jazz history.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------as a leader :
1953
- Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers(Birdland)
- Blakey with the Jazz Messengers(EmArcy)
- Jazz Messengers(EmArcy)
- Night at Birdland(Blue Note)
- At the Cafe Bohemia(Blue Note)
- Art Blakey with the Original Jazz Messengers(Columbia)
- Drum Suite(Columbia)
- Hard Bop(Columbia)
- Sessions Live: Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers(Calliope)
- Originally
- Hard Drive (Bethlehem)
- Art Blakey & His Rhythm(Columbia)
- Once Upon a Groove(Blue Note)
- Ritual: The Modern Jazz Messengers(Blue Note)
- Orgy in Rhythm(Blue Note) altrn
- Mirage (Savoy)
- Tough! (Cadet)
- Reflections on Buhania (Elektra)
- Jazz Messengers Play Lerner and Loewe (VIK)
- Theory of Art (Bluebird/RCA
- A Night in Tunisia (RCA/Bluebird)
- Art Blakey/John Handy: Messages (Roulette)
- Dawn on the Desert (Jubilee)
- Midnight Session (Savoy)Flac
- Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers Live (Calliope)
- Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers (Bethlehem)
- Art Blakey Big Band (Bethlehem)
- Cu-Bop (Jubilee)
- Second Edition (Bluebird/RCA)
- Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers with Thelonious Monk(Atlantic)
- Moanin'(Blue Note) altrn altrn
- Drums Around the Corner(Blue Note)
- Holiday for Skins(Blue Note)
- Des Femmes Disparaissent (Fontana)
- Live in Holland (Bandstand)
- Olympia Concert: Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers (Universal)
- Paris 1958 (Bluebird/RCA)
- Au Club Saint-Germain(RCA)
- Paris Olympia (Fontana)Flac
- Africaine(Blue Note)
- At the Jazz Corner of the World (Blue Note)
- Les Liaisons Dangereuses (Polygram)
- Paris Concert: Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers (Portrait)
- Live in Stockholm (Dragon)
- Live in Copenhagen (Royal)
- Paris Jam Session (EmArcy)
- Live in Stockholm (Dragon)
- Lausanne 1960, Pt. 1 (TCB)
- Swiss Radio Days Jazz Series, Vol. 6: Lausanne 1960, 2nd Set (TCB)
- The Big Beat(Blue Note)
- Like Someone in Love(Blue Note)
- A Night in Tunisia(Blue Note) altrn
- Meet You at the Jazz Corner of the World(Blue Note)
- The Complete Blue Note Recordings Of Art Blakey's 1960 Jazz Messengers( 1992)
- A Day with Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers(Eastwind)
- Live: Olympia 5-13-61(Trema)
- Paris Jazz Concert (RTE)
- A Jazz Hour with Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers: Blues March (Movieplay)
- Pisces(Blue Note)
- Roots & Herbs(Blue Note)
- The Witch Doctor(Blue Note)
- The Freedom Rider(Blue Note)
- Mosaic(Blue Note)
- Buhaina's Delight(Blue Note)
- Art Blakey!!!!! Jazz Messengers!!!!!(Impulse!)
- Thermo (Milestone)
- Caravan(Riverside)
- The African Beat(Blue Note)
- Three Blind Mice(Blue Note) altrn
- Ugetsu(Riverside)
- Selections from the Film: Golden Boy (Colpix)
- A Jazz Message(Impulse!)
- Blues Bag (Affinity)
- Free For All(Blue Note) altrn
- Indestructible(Blue Note)
- Kyoto(Riverside)
- S Make It (Limelight)
- 1965-Soul Finger(Limelight)
1968
- Art Blakey Live! (Trip)
- Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers (Catalyst)
- For Minors Only (WestWind)
- Vol. 1 Child's Dance
- Anthenagin (Prestige)
- Buhaina ( Prestige)
- Vol. 2 Mission Eternal
- Backgammon (Blue March)(Roulette)
- Percussion Discussion (MCA)
- Gypsy Folk Tales (Roulette)
- In My Prime(Timeless)
- Reflections in Blue(Timeless)
- Live Messengers (recorded 1954, 1961, 1962)(Blue Note)
- In This Korner (Concord Jazz)
- Night in Tunisia (Polygram)
- One by One (Palcoscenico Records)
- Jazzbuhne Berlin '80 (Repertoire)
- Live (Kingdom Jazz)
- Art Blakey in Sweden (Evidence)
- Live at Montreux and Northsea(Timeless)
- Album of the Year(Timeless)
- Straight Ahead ( Concord Jazz)
- Killer Joe: Art Blakey & George Kawaguchi (Storyville)
- Oh, by the Way(Timeless)
- Keystone 3 (Concord Jazz)
- Art Blakey & the All Star Messengers (RCA)
- Aurex Jazz Festival '83 (East Worl
- Super Live ( Baystate)
- New York Scene (Concord Jazz)
- Live at Ronnie Scott's (DRG)
- Live at Sweet Basil (GNP)
- Farewell (Paddle Wheel)
- Buhaina: The Continuing Message (Affinity)
- Live at Kimball's (Concord Jazz)
- Hard Champion (Evidence)
- Dr. Jeckyl (Evidence)
- New Year's Eve at Sweet Basil (Evidence)
- Blue Night(Timeless)
- Feeling Good (Delos)
- Standards (Paddle Wheel)
- Not Yet(Soul Note)
- I Get a Kick out of Bu(Soul Note)
- The Art of Jazz: Live in Leverkusen (In + Out)
- Feel the Wind(Timeless)
Ugetsu. Live At Birland
- Chippin' In(Timeless)
- One for All (A&M)
as a sideman:
1944-1947
1947
- Thelonious Monk-Genius Of Modern Music - Vol. 1
- Fats Navarro - Nostalgia
- Dexter Gordon - Dexter Rides Again
- James Moody_Art Blakey - New Sounds
- Sonny Stitt-Kaleidoscope
- Milt Jackson (Milt Jackson and the Thelonious Monk Quintet)
- Zoot Sims Zoot.O.Rama
- J.J. JohnsonKai WindingBenny Green - Trombone by Three
- Sonny Rollins - With The Modern Jazz Quartet
- Miles Davis featuring Sonny Rollins-Dig
1953
- Buddy De Franco - Mr. Clarinet
- Kenny Drew Trio- New Faces, New Sounds
- Gerry Mulligan With Chet Baker And Buddy DeFranco
- Clifford Brown - Memorial Album
- Paul Bley - Introducing
- Annie ROSS - King Pleasure Sings,Annie Ross Sings
- Horace Silver-Safari
- Thelonious Monk Trio-Thelonious Monk Trio
- Joe Gordon - Early Sessions
- Elmo Hope - Trio and Quintet
- Thelonious Monk-Monk
- Sonny Rollins - Moving Out
- Thelonious Monk -The Complete Black Lion And Vogue Recordings
- Thelonious Monk & Sonny Rollins
- Earl Bud Powell - Vol. 2-Burning In U.S.A.
- Clark Terry - Swahili
- Randy Weston - Solo, Duo & Trio
- Kenny Dorham - Afro-Cuban
- Julius Watkins - Julius Watkins Sextet Vols. 1 & 2
- Hank Mobley Quartet
- Herbie Nichols - The Prophetic Herbie Nichols, Vol. 1
- Herbie Nichols - The Prophetic Herbie Nichols, Vol. 2
- Duke Jordan - The Street Swingers
- Gigi Gryce - Nica's Tempo
- Thelonious Monk - The Unique
- Rita Reys - The Cool Voice Of Rita Reys
- Stan Getz Special vol. 1
- VA - 4 Lessons in Jazz
- Hank Mobley and His All Stars
- Milt Jackson - Plenty, Plenty Soul
- Jimmy Smith-A Date With Jimmy Smith
- Jimmy Smith - The Sound Of Jimmy Smith
- Jimmy Smith -At The Organ
- Clifford Jordan & John Gilmore -Blowing in from Chicago
- Hank Mobley Quintet
- Johnny Griffin - A Blowin' Session
- Thelonious Monk – Monks Music
- Sonny Rollins Volume 2
- John Coltrane-The Bethlehem Years
- Cannonball Adderley-Somethin' Else (Blue Note)
- Tina Brooks-Minor Move
- Jimmy Smith - Confirmation
- Jimmy Smith - House Party
- Jimmy Smith - The Sermon!
- Jimmy Smith-Cool Blues
- Gil Evans - New Bottle Old Wine
- Kenny Burrell - Swingin'
- Kenny Burrell - Blue Lights Vol.1&2
- Jimmy Smith - Six Views Of The Blues
- Cannonball Adderley_Milt Jackson - Things Are Getting Better
- Blue Mitchell - Out Of The Blue
- Various - New Blue Horns
- Sonny Clark - My Conception
- Kenny Burrell - On View At The Five Spot Cafet Cafe
- Benny Golson-Groovin' With Golson
- Lee Morgan -Here's Lee Morgan
- Hank Mobley - Soul Station
- Dizzy Reece - Comin' On!
- Lee Morgan-Lee-Way
- Bobby Timmons - Soul Time
- Wayne Shorter - Second Genesis
- Art Blakey - Philly Joe Jones - Charlie Persip - Elvin Jones_Gretsch Drum Night At Birdland
- Lee Morgan-Expoobident
- Hank Mobley - Roll Call
- Lee Morgan and Wayne Shorter-The Complete Vee Jay Sessions
- Gigi Gryce - Nica's Tempo
- Thelonious Monk With John Coltrane
- Ike Quebec -Easy Living
- Ike Quebec-The Art of Ike Quebec
- Lee Morgan - Tom Cat
- Giants Of Jazz In Berlin' 71
- Thelonious Monk-Something In Blue
- Thelonious Monk-The Man I Love
- Dizzy Gillespie & Thelonious Monk-Unissued In Europe
- Jimmy Smith jazz Set - More Jam Session and the Jimmy Smith jazz Set
- Giants of Jazz-Giants of Jazz
- Wynton Marsalis - Best Of The Early Years
- Freddie Hubbard -Feel the Wind
- Bluesiana Triangle-Bluesiana Triangle
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