Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers: A La Mode

Track

A La Mode

Group

Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers

CD

Keystone 3 (Concord Jazz CJ 196)

Buy Track

Musicians:

Art Blakey (drums), Wynton Marsalis (trumpet), Branford Marsalis (alto sax), Billy Pierce (tenor sax),

Donald Brown (piano), Charles Fambrough (bass)

.

Composed by Curtis Fuller

.

Recorded: live at The Keystone Corner, San Francisco, CA, January 1982

Albumcoverartblakeyandthejazzmessengers-keystone3

Rating: 90/100 (learn more)

This dynamic live version of the Curtis Fuller composition features fine solo work from the Marsalis brothers, Billy Pierce and pianist Donald Brown. After superb opening fills from Blakey, the group briefly struggles with tempo issues (I don't think the front line expected the melody to be quite so fast!), but they quickly settle in and perform the head and their subsequent solos flawlessly. Highlights include a brief yet first-rate solo statement from Pierce and a playful Wynton Marsalis, who alternates moments of displaying his virtuosic technique with witty chitchat among his bandmates.

Reviewer: Eric Novod

Tags: ·

Comments are closed.