Which “Art Blakey and the Messengers” band is your favorite?

[BruceH]

The one with Golson, maybe? They're all good, really. I know it's wimpy to say that, but it's true.

[JSngry]

Indestructible was the first time I heard the Messengers, and/so that remains my favorite, for reasons beyond my control.

[Larry Kart]

Ya gotta love the band that recorded "Stanley's Stiff Chickens." It also had, on bass, the musician with perhaps the most sexually intriguing name in jazz history, Spanky DeBrest. (That last a contribution from the late J. Figi.)

[BillF]

Ya gotta love the band that recorded "Stanley's Stiff Chickens." It also had, on bass, the musician with perhaps the most sexually intriguing name in jazz history, Spanky DeBrest.

A point not lost on Sidewinder, who in "Name Three People" followed the British sadomasochist Max Mosley with the name of the Blakey bassist!

[BeBop]

I won't advance this group as my favorite Messengers - or even top five - but any love out there for "In This Korner" with:

Dennis Irwin

Valery Ponomarev

David Schnitter

Bobby Watson

James Williams

Maybe I'm just biased by having been there for the recording...or portions thereof.

Edited November 17, 2010 by BeBop

[kh1958]

The Bobby Watson/musical director edition is a fine one.

As is the Terrance Blanchard/Donald Harrison/Jean Tousaint/Mulgrew Miller/Lonnie Plaxico group.

[medjuck]

The sextet lineup with Hubbard (or Morgan), Shorter, Fuller, Reggie Workman & Cedar Walton.

I saw this group with Hubbard. Reggie Workman was amazing.

[Hot Ptah]

I have three favorites: Morgan/Shorter/Timmons/Merrit/Blakey

Hubbard/Shorter/Fuller/Walton/Workman/Blakey

Bobby Watson/Bill Pierce/Wynton Marsalis/James Williams/Charles Fambrough/Blakey

I saw that last group live several times. James Williams was really outstanding on piano. Wynton was very young and really smoking on trumpet. Bobby Watson was the star of the band and consistently played great.

[sidewinder]

The best Blakey band I saw was with that one with Marsalis, closely followed by the Blanchard/Harrison lineup.

Favourite on record is the Shorter/Hubbard/Fuller/Walton/Workman lineup. Unbeatable !

Ya gotta love the band that recorded "Stanley's Stiff Chickens." It also had, on bass, the musician with perhaps the most sexually intriguing name in jazz history, Spanky DeBrest.

A point not lost on Sidewinder, who in "Name Three People" followed the British sadomasochist Max Mosley with the name of the Blakey bassist!

I did?

Edited November 17, 2010 by sidewinder

[BeBop]

Favourite on record is the Shorter/Hubbard/Fuller/Walton/Workman lineup. Unbeatable !

Sub Morgan for Hubbard, and the band becomes Indestructible!

[sidewinder]

Yeah - the band with Morgan is fantastic too. I give the Hubbard band the slight edge, just by virtue of the quality of Mosaic and Free For All.

Edited November 17, 2010 by sidewinder

[BillF]

The best Blakey band I saw was with that one with Marsalis, closely followed by the Blanchard/Harrison lineup.

Favourite on record is the Shorter/Hubbard/Fuller/Walton/Workman lineup. Unbeatable !

Ya gotta love the band that recorded "Stanley's Stiff Chickens." It also had, on bass, the musician with perhaps the most sexually intriguing name in jazz history, Spanky DeBrest.

A point not lost on Sidewinder, who in "Name Three People" followed the British sadomasochist Max Mosley with the name of the Blakey bassist!

I did?

Great moments forgotten!

[Royal Oak]

I seem to be the only one who prefers the group with Golson. Maybe because it was the first one I heard.

FWIW I agree, for exactly the same reason!

[Big Al]

Indestructible was the first time I heard the Messengers, and/so that remains my favorite, for reasons beyond my control.

Same here except in my case it's the MOSAIC album. I can still remember the first time I heard Blakey's drums thundering out of the speakers. Life, thankfully, hasn't been the same since!

[Jim R]

Golson - Timmons - Morgan - Merritt

[Jazzmoose]

I have to go with the obvious: Morgan/Shorter/Timmons/Merrit. Some of the first jazz I 'discovered' (decades after it happened...) and still a favorite. In fact, through in the Hubbard stuff, and you've got 90% of the jazz I've heard in the last year.