Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers: Blue Night

AllMusic Review by Scott Yanow

The last time that drummer Art Blakey was able to keep a consistent personnel in his Jazz Messengerstogether for a lengthy period of time was the version he had with trumpeter Terence Blanchard and altoist Donald Harrison in the mid-'80s (a band which also included Jean Toussaint on tenor, pianist Mulgrew Miller and bassist Lonnie Plaxico). This excellent Timeless CD has a version of "Body and Soul" along with seven stimulating (if not overly memorable) recent originals by bandmembers. Fine modern hard bop.

Blue Night is an album by drummer Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers recorded in 1985 in the Netherlands and released on the Dutch Timeless label.^[1][2]

Track listing 

1. "Two of a Kind" (Terence Blanchard) - 9:52
2. "Blue Minor" (Jean Toussaint) - 11:27
3. "Blue Night" (Lonnie Plaxico) - 7:25
4. "Body and Soul" (Frank Eyton, Johnny Green, Edward Heyman, Robert Sour) - 7:26
5. "Mr. Combinated" (Donald Harrison) - 6:39
6. "Two of a Kind" [alternate take] (Blanchard) - 9:22 Bonus track on CD reissue
7. "Blue Minor" [alternate take] (Toussaint) - 8:51 Bonus track on CD reissue
8. "Mr. Combinated" [alternate take] (Harrison) - 6:50 Bonus track on CD reissue

Personnel 

• Art Blakey - drums
• Terence Blanchard - trumpet
• Donald Harrison - alto saxophone
• Jean Toussaint - tenor saxophone
• Mulgrew Miller - piano
• Lonnie Plaxico - bass

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