Free For All - Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers

Freddie Hubbard - Trumpet
Curtis Fuller - Trombone
Wayne Shorter - Tenor Saxophone
Cedar Walton - Keys
Reginald Workman - Bass
Art Blakey - Drums

The first word that came to mind when I hit play on this record is fire. Art Blakey is absolutely on fire. I'm sure that I've heard a recording of him at some point but simply didn't realize I was listening to it. That being said, this would be the first time that I've consciously listened to Art Blakey and I think I get it. His playing is busy and loud but clearly contagious listening to way Wayne Shorter (Tenor Saxophone) and Freddie Hubbard (Trumpet) develop their solos to a level of intensity that I certainly didn't expect in the first track, Free For All.

The liner notes mention that a quote from Freddie Hubbard that says, "After you play with him, it feels empty playing with most other drummers. He gives you so much support." It's interesting because listening to the recording after reading that it becomes pretty clear how much of an impact Blakey's energy and style has on the direct and energy of the group.

The second track Hammer Head is a lot more laid back, sitting at a mid-tempo. This came as a relief because track one, Free For All was pretty intense (in the best way possible) but Hammer Head was a nice little rest for my poor (still sick!) brain.

The Core is an interesting track. In the liner notes the title is clarified a bit, having multiple meanings - most explicitly the word CORE is an acronym for the Congress Of Racial Equality and notes about Freddie Hubbard's respect and admiration for the organization. The title also has a musical and emotional meaning as Hubbard comments on it getting at "some of the core of jazz - the basic feelings and rhythms that are at the foundation of the music." I think I'll have to look a little further into that one....There is, however, definitely an element of passion that's really apparent in the tracks. The last track on the album, Pensativa is once again is a smooth contrast to the one before, The Core. The perfect ending for the record.

Nice...........that's all I got for that one. Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers - thumbs up all around.