Art Blakey

This page created by: George Heid



Art Blakey, master of the drums, leader of the music. A native of Pittsburgh, went to New York in 1938 with pianist Mary Lou Williams. Later left Mary Lou to

join Fletcher Henderson where he earned his wings, he was soon off to join the

Billy Eckstine band along with Charlie Parker and Sarah Vaughan. After his stint

with Mr. "B" Art went on to form the 17 Messengers which would develop over

the years into the Jazz Messengers, which included some of the finest musicians

that would influence the music; Clifford Brown, Horace Silver, Wayne Shorter,

Lee Morgan, Freddie Hubbard, Etc Art would also perform as a sideman for

some of the most important musicians in the business.



Art Blakey’s name has become synonymous with hard drive and pulsating

excitement. He was a musician who believed that a jazz group should be a solid

cohesive unit, not just "five guys blowing on the same changes." What made the

Jazz Messengers different, was that the rhythm section did not just play time

behind the horns, they backed up the horn section solidly and would set up the

soloist, who in turn would listen and pick up cues that would be thrown

his way.



Those press rolls, that sock cymbal, his imaginative ride, the cohesiveness and

form of his solo’s, and most of all his ears; how he could listen to the band as

a whole and as individuals. This is why any musician who came out of his school

would always say that they never sounded as good they did when they had Art

lighting that fire underneath them.