Legendary Nigerian drummer Tony Allen is an Afrobeat pioneer best known for his tenure as musical director for Fela Kuti. American jazz was an early influence, and he pays tribute to hard bop icon ...

This is FRESH AIR. Drummer Art Blakey led his band, The Jazz Messengers, for almost 40 years, making many classic records with top musicians. A newly unearthed 1959 Blakey session is now out. Our jazz ...

Recorded live in Paris with a seven-piece band, A Tribute to Art Blakey features four of the drummer’s famed Jazz Messengers recordings – “Moanin’,” “A Night In Tunisia,” “Politely” and “Drum Thunder ...

We start our salute to Art Blakey with a recording he made in 1955, when he was co-leader of the band Horace Silver and The Jazz Messengers. Pianist Silver wrote "The Preacher," and the band was ...

Music enthusiasts in Elgin are in for a treat as The Guest List, a talented jazz ensemble, will perform “A Tribute to Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers” on Sunday, March 23. The performance will be ...

WILLIAMSTOWN — George Cables remembers the night of his first gig with Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers. It was 1969 and the 24-year-old piano player had just joined the group at the recommendation of ...

Jazz drummer Art Blakey brought a propulsive, irresistible swing to his playing, an intensity that drove his ensembles like dry leaves before the wild hurricane. “He was a volcano,” said Gordon ...

In late 1965, the drummer found what he was looking for. First came trumpeter Chuck Mangione, a fresh-faced musician out of Rochester, New York. Then, Blakey happened upon an enigmatic piano player ...