35 years after first officially forming
The Jazz Messengers, drummer
Art Blakey entered his final year still at it. Due to the many promising young players around at the time,
Blakey expanded
The Messengers from its usual quintet or sextet into a septet for this fine recording session. In addition to trumpeter
Brian Lynch, pianist
Geoff Keezer and bassist
Essiet Okon Essiet, this version of
The Messengers had two tenors (
Javon Jackson and
Dale Barlow) and a pair of alternating trombonists (
Frank Lacy and
Steve Davis). Quite typically, other than
Wayne Shorter's obscure "Hammerhead" and two standards, all of the material on this CD was new and composed by
Blakey's sidemen. Because
Blakey constantly persuaded his musicians to write music,
The Jazz Messengers stayed young in spirit, just like its leader. A fine effort. ~ Scott Yanow