Drum Suite is an album by drummer Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers and the Art Blakey Percussion Ensemble, recorded in late 1956 and early 1957 and originally released on Columbia in April 1957."Art Blakey Catalog - album index", JazzDisco.org; accessed June 5, 2013.Schwartz, Steve, and Michael Fitzgerald, "Chronology of Art Blakey (and the Jazz Messengers)", May 1996-July 6, 2008; accessed June 5, 2013. It was the first of several albums recorded by Blakey in the 1950s and 1960s that explored percussion-oriented jazz. It was followed by Orgy in Rhythm, Holiday for Skins, and The African Beat.
The 2005 CD reissue added three tracks from a June 1956 session, two of them previously released on Originally in 1982."Art Blakey And The Jazz Messengers* – Drum Suite" at Discogs.
Reception
Allmusic awarded the album 4 stars, calling it "Groundbreaking for its time, and still sounding vital, powerful, and visionary, the Drum Suite album is somewhat of a lost masterpiece that deserves a fresh audience".Leggett, Steve, Allmusic Review; accessed June 5, 2013.
Track listing
Original release
2005 Columbia/Legacy CD reissue
Personnel
June 25, 1956 (Tracks 7–9) Art Blakey – drums Donald Byrd – trumpet Ira Sullivan – tenor saxophone Kenny Drew – piano Wilbur Ware – bass
The Jazz Messengers—December 13, 1956 (Side two) Art Blakey – drums Bill Hardman – trumpet Jackie McLean – alto saxophone Sam Dockery – piano Spanky DeBrest – bass
The Art Blakey Percussion Ensemble—February 22, 1957 (Side one) Art Blakey – drums Ray Bryant – piano Oscar Pettiford – bass, cello Jo Jones – drums Charles "Specs" Wright – drums, timpani, gong Candido Camero, Sabu Martinez – bongos
References