Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers

Archetypal hard-bop group of the late 1950s, most date their origin to 1954 or '55 when the first recordings credited to the band appeared.

Playing a driving, aggressive extension of bop with pronounced blues roots, the group continued until [url=http://www.discogs.com/artist/29977-Art-Blakey]Blakey[/url]'s death in 1990.

The name Jazz Messengers had been used by [a=Art Blakey] earlier, but when [a=Horace Silver] and [url=http://www.discogs.com/artist/29977-Art-Blakey]Blakey[/url] began working together in the early 1950's the name had been dormant several years. The Jazz Messengers formed as a collective, nominally led by Silver or Blakey. Blakey credited Silver with reviving the Messengers name for the group. The original lineup of Blakey, Silver, [a=Hank Mobley], & [a=Kenny Dorham], was relatively shortlived. By late 1956 [a=Art Blakey] was the remaining original member.

Over the years the Jazz Messengers served as a springboard for young jazz musicians, a proving ground for young jazz talent.