Moanin’Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers1rank/position

Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers – Moanin’

In jazz saxophone playing, there’s quite a lot of freedom.

Of course, this is based on understanding and analyzing the chord progression, but it’s also true that you sometimes find yourself in musical situations where you think, “I want to play this emotionally!” This isn’t unique to jazz, but in the collaborative, real-time creation of music, “serene and precise notation” and “surging emotion” are inseparable.

This piece makes you feel exactly that—and it’s a masterpiece in which the saxophone truly sings and shines.

A Night in TunisiaArt Blakey & The Jazz Messengers2rank/position

Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers – A Night in Tunisia

A masterpiece that captures the exotic atmosphere of North Africa through innovative jazz rhythms and harmonies.

In August 1960, Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers delivered a performance that opened up new musical territory with a bold fusion of Afro-Cuban rhythms and bebop.

Anchored by powerful drumming, the sensual melodic lines woven by Lee Morgan’s trumpet and Wayne Shorter’s saxophone shine throughout.

Featured on the classic album “A Night in Tunisia,” this piece captivates with its interplay of exotic ambience and thrilling improvisation.

Perfect for a calm spring evening when you want to relax into the music and feel a breeze from distant lands.

A la ModeArt Blakey & The Jazz Messengers3rank/position

Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers – À la Mode

When you hear “à la mode,” many people probably think of desserts like pudding à la mode, don’t they? I’m not sure what the song title is meant to convey, but its upbeat and bright tone seems like it would lift your spirits and even make the food taste better!

Sleeping Dancer Sleep OnArt Blakey & The Jazz Messengers4rank/position

Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers “Sleeping Dancer Sleep On”

Included on the 1966 album Like Someone In Love.

Lee Morgan’s trumpet is sheer genius.

Wayne Shorter’s saxophone is serene and beautiful.

Bobby Timmons’s piano has a delicate, ephemeral touch.

You can sense each member cherishing the melody and playing with sincerity.

Without a deep love for the piece, you couldn’t deliver performances like these.

MosaicArt Blakey & The Jazz Messengers5rank/position

Mosaic (2005 Remaster)

Shunji Tamada, a friend of Dai Miyamoto from high school and something like the leader of their friend group.

In high school he devoted himself to soccer practice as a member of the team, but after they entered university, he let Dai crash at his apartment, which sparked his awakening to jazz.

Watching him dive so deeply into the drums that he ended up repeating a year, those of you with similar experiences might have found yourselves reminiscing about your own youthful days.

Tamada is the type who pursues things to the very end once he’s hooked, and the album he listened to while practicing drums was Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers’ classic Mosaic, released in 1962.

Its title track features a drum solo in the latter half that’s thrilling and incredibly cool; it’s a must-listen for anyone aspiring to be a jazz drummer—so be sure to check it out!

Night in TunisiaArt Blakey & The Jazz Messengers6rank/position

Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers – A Night in Tunisia

Here is a famous jazz number that evokes a sense of exoticism—like what the night in Tunisia must surely be like, even if one has never been there.

Dizzy Gillespie composed the piece with Frank Paparelli in 1942.

The performance by Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers is the most well-known, but lyrics were later added, and vocal versions can also be found.