A Night in Tunisia/Jazz Messengers Play Lerner and Loewe

Art Blakey

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A Night in Tunisia/Jazz Messengers Play Lerner and Loewe Review

by Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr.

In the mid-'50s, before critics deemed him a jazz institution, Art Blakey was busy making great music. Along with his Jazz Messengers, he delivered hard bop and gave dozens of players a chance to learn the business. This two-disc collection represents two solid sets, Play Lerner and Loewe from 1957 and A Night in Tunisia (not to be confused with two later Blakey albums of the same name) from 1958. The personnel are similar for both dates, with tenor Johnny Griffin, trumpeter Bill Hardman, pianist Sam Dockery, and bassist Jimmy DeBrest joining Blakey. Play Lerner and Loewe kicks off with an up-tempo version of "I Could Have Danced All Night," a four-minute romp that allows each soloist to play at breakneck speed and basically forget about the melody. This joyous abandon spills over into the remainder of the album. Griffin and Hardman toss off a series of sparkling exchanges at the beginning of "There But for You Go I," followed by a lively, extended solo by Dockery. Play Lerner and Loewe finishes with "Almost Like Being in Love," a piece filled with rapid horn ascents and backed by Blakey and DeBrest's steady, demanding rhythm. The highlight of A Night in Tunisia is the title track, a joyful 12-minute take on Gillespie's classic piece of Latin-tinged bop. This track, and the album, is also livened up by the presence of altoist Ferris Bender. Because of their similar personnel and approach, Play Lerner and Loewe and A Night in Tunisia make a good match. Both albums find Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers in superb form, offering the listener a double dose of hard bop delivered with pizzazz.

Track Listing - Disc 1

	Title/Composer	Performer	Time	Stream
1	A Night in Tunisia Dizzy Gillespie / Frank Paparelli	Art Blakey	12:54	Spotify Amazon
2	Off the Wall Johnny Griffin / Little Walter	Art Blakey	07:15	Spotify Amazon
3	Theory of Art Bill Hardman	Art Blakey	09:45	Spotify Amazon
4	Couldn't It Be You? Art Blakey / Jackie McLean	Art Blakey	08:09	Spotify Amazon
5	Evans Sonny Rollins	Art Blakey	05:47	Spotify Amazon

Track Listing - Disc 2

	Title/Composer	Performer	Time	Stream
1	I Could Have Danced All Night Alan Jay Lerner / Frederick Loewe	Art Blakey	04:20	Spotify Amazon
2	On the Street Where You Live Alan Jay Lerner / Frederick Loewe	Art Blakey	09:06	Spotify Amazon
3	There But for You Go I Alan Jay Lerner / Frederick Loewe	Art Blakey	04:37	Spotify Amazon
4	They Call the Wind Maria Alan Jay Lerner / Frederick Loewe	Art Blakey	04:52	Spotify Amazon
5	I Talk to the Trees Alan Jay Lerner / Frederick Loewe	Art Blakey	08:31	Spotify Amazon
6	Almost Like Being in Love Alan Jay Lerner / Frederick Loewe	Art Blakey	04:52	Spotify Amazon

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