The Jazz Messengers were a jazz band that existed with varying personnel for 35 years. Their discography consists of 47 studio albums, 21 live albums, 2 soundtracks, 6 compilations, and one boxed set.
Drummer Art Blakey was the leader or co-leader of the group throughout its existence. He is the drummer on all Jazz Messengers recordings and is therefore elided from personnel listings. Members recorded as either a quintet or sextet except for one 11-piece big band appearance and their expansion to a septet at the end.
The earliest recordings of the original Messengers were on Blue Note Records; all of the original Messengers (except bassist Doug Watkins) had released albums under their own name on the label. Blue Note 1518 was a reissue of two previously released 10" LPs credited to The Horace Silver Quintet.
A few recordings on Columbia Records followed with a couple different formations. As the second Messengers lineup stabilized they recorded for the RCA sub-label Vik Records, interspersed with one-off recordings for Cadet Records, Jubilee Records, and Atlantic.
Starting in 1958, a new lineup with Lee Morgan, Benny Golson, Bobby Timmons, Jymie Merritt, and later Wayne Shorter, Freddie Hubbard, and Curtis Fuller would see the group return to Blue Note for several years. This group also traveled to Europe where a couple albums on Fontana Records appeared. In 1961, there was a single album on Impulse! Records. In 1963 the first of three releases appeared on Riverside Records, while new releases on Blue Note continued to be issued.
After Wayne Shorter departed for Miles Davis's Second Great Quintet, the band signed with Quincy Jones' Mercury sub-label Limelight Records for three more releases starting in 1965.
Except for a 1970 release on the obscure Catalyst, and various bootlegs, the band did not release a recording between 1966 and 1972, when they re-appeared on Prestige Records for three more albums. In 1975 the band released an album with guest artist Sonny Stitt on the Swedish Sonet Records, then came two albums on Roulette Records in 1976 and 1978.
Starting in 1978, the band began to release albums on the Dutch Timeless Records and the Concord Jazz subsidiary of Concord Records. These groups included a changing lineup of young jazz musicians such as: Wynton and Branford Marsalis, Terence Blanchard, Donald Harrison, Wallace Roney, Mulgrew Miller, and Lonnie Plaxico.
Near the end, there were two albums on the Italian Soul Note label, and the final album on A&M Records. The Jazz Messengers came to an end with the death of Blakey in 1990.
Studio albums Albums are listed in order of earliest recording session. Some albums were not released for many years after their recording. The formats listed are the formats issued at the original release date. Most of the albums have been reissued on compact disc, many with additional tracks. Some albums have also been reissued or repackaged on varying labels and formats. See the specific album articles for reissue information. AlbumAlbum DetailsPersonnelNotes The Jazz Messengers Released: 1956 Recorded: April 5, and May 4, 1956 Label: Columbia (CL 897) Format: LP Donald Byrd – trumpet Hank Mobley – tenor saxophone Horace Silver – piano Doug Watkins – double bass Hard Bop Released: 1957 Recorded: December 12 and 13, 1956 Label: Columbia (CL 1040) Format: LP Bill Hardman – trumpet Jackie McLean – alto saxophone Sam Dockery – piano Jimmy "Spanky" DeBrest – double bass Ritual Released: 1957 Recorded: January 14 and February 11, 1957 Label: Pacific Jazz (PJM-402) Format: LP Hardman McLean Dockery DeBrest The liner notes state that Pacific Jazz got this record in exchange for Columbia getting a record by Chet Baker. Tough! Released: 1966 Recorded: Spring, 1957 Label: Cadet (4049) Format: LP Hardman McLean Dockery DeBrest Selections from Lerner and Loewe's... Released: 1957 Recorded: March 13, 1957 Label: Vik Records (1103) Format: LP Hardman Johnny Griffin – tenor saxophone Dockery DeBrest A Night in Tunisia Released: 1957 Recorded: April 8, 1957 Label: Vik Records (1115) Format: LP Hardman McLean Griffin Dockery DeBrest Jackie McLean is credited as "Ferris Benda." Cu-Bop Released: 1957 Recorded: May 13, 1957 Label: Jubilee (1049) Format: LP Hardman Griffin Dockery DeBrest Guest: Sabu Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers with Thelonious Monk Released: 1958 Recorded: May 14 and 15, 1957 Label: Atlantic (LP 1278 [Mono], SD 1278 [Stereo]) Format: LP Hardman Griffin DeBrest Guest: Thelonious Monk – piano Hard Drive Released: 1957 Recorded: August 9 and 11, 1957 Label: Bethlehem (6023) Format: LP August 9: Hardman, Griffin, Dockery, DeBrest August 11: Hardman, Griffin, Junior Mance – piano, DeBrest Moanin' Released: 1959 Recorded: October 30, 1958 Label: Blue Note (BLP 4003 [Mono], BST 4003 [Stereo]) Format: LP Lee Morgan – trumpet Benny Golson – tenor saxophone Bobby Timmons – piano Jymie Merritt – double bass Though known as Moanin', the album was officially released as Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers. The Big Beat Released: 1960 Recorded: March 3, 1960 Label: Blue Note (BLP 4029 [Mono], BST 84029 [Stereo]) Format: LP Format: LP Morgan Wayne Shorter – tenor saxophone Timmons – piano Merritt Bobby Timmons returns to the Messengers, after a short engagement with Cannonball Adderley. Like Someone in Love Released: 1966 Recorded: August 7 and 14, 1960 Label: Blue Note (BLP 4245 [Mono], BST 84245 [Stereo]) Format: LP Morgan Shorter Timmons Merritt A Night in Tunisia Released: 1960 Recorded: August 7 and 14, 1960 Label: Blue Note (BLP 4049 [Mono], BST 84049 [Stereo]) Format: LP Morgan Shorter Timmons Merritt The Freedom Rider Released: 1962 Recorded: February 18 and May 27, 1961 Label: Blue Note (BLP 4156 [Mono], BST 84156 [Stereo]) Format: LP Morgan Shorter Timmons Merritt Roots & Herbs Released: 1970 Recorded: February 18 and May 27, 1961 Label: Blue Note (BST 84347) Format: LP Morgan Shorter Timmons Walter Davis, Jr. – piano Merritt The Witch Doctor Released: 1967 Recorded: March 14, 1961 Label: Blue Note (BST 84258) Format: LP Morgan Shorter Timmons Merritt Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers Released: 1961 Recorded: June 13 and 14, 1961 Label: Impulse! (A-7) Format: LP Morgan Curtis Fuller – trombone Shorter Timmons Merritt Mosaic Released 1962 Recorded: October 2, 1961 Label: Blue Note (BLP 4090 [Mono], BST 84090 [Stereo]) Format: LP Freddie Hubbard – trumpet Fuller Shorter Cedar Walton – piano Merritt Buhaina's Delight Released: 1963 Recorded: November 28 and December 18, 1961 Label: Blue Note (BLP 4104 [Mono], BST 84104 [Stereo]) Format: LP Hubbard Fuller Shorter Walton Merritt Caravan Released: 1963 Recorded: October 23 and 24, 1962 Label: Riverside (RLP 438 [Mono], RS 8438 [Stereo]) Format: LP Hubbard Fuller Shorter Walton Reggie Workman – double bass Golden Boy Released: 1963 Recorded: 1963 Label: Colpix (CP 478 [Mono], SCP 478 [Stereo]) Format: LP Morgan Hubbard Fuller Shorter Walton Workman Guests: Julius Watkins – French horn Bill Barber – tuba James Spaulding – alto saxophone Charles Davis – baritone saxophone Free for All Released: 1964 Recorded: February 10, 1964 Label: Blue Note (BLP 4170 [Mono], BST 84170 [Stereo]) Format: LP Hubbard Fuller Shorter Walton Workman Kyoto Released: 1964 Recorded: February 20, 1964 Label: Riverside (RLP 493 [Mono], RS 9493 [Stereo]) Format: LP
Hubbard Fuller Shorter Walton Workman Guest: Wellington Blakey – vocals Indestructible Released: 1965 Recorded: April 24 and May 15, 1964 Label: Blue Note (BLP 4192 [Mono], BST 84193 [Stereo]) Format: LP Lee Morgan – trumpet Fuller Shorter Walton Workman 'S Make It Released: 1965 Recorded: November 14, 16 and 25, 1964 Label: Limelight (LM 82001 [Mono], LS 86001 [Stereo]) Format: LP Morgan Fuller John Gilmore – tenor saxophone John Hicks – piano Victor Sproles – double bass Soul Finger Released: 1965 Recorded: April 21 and May 12 and 13, 1965 Label: Limelight (LM 82018 [Mono] LS 86018 [Stereo]) Format: LP Morgan Freddie Hubbard – trumpet Gary Bartz – alto saxophone Hicks Sproles Guest: Lucky Thompson – soprano saxophone Child's Dance Released: 1972 Recorded: May 23 and July 28, 1972 Label: Prestige (P 10047) Format: LP May 23: Ramon Morris – flute Buddy Terry – soprano saxophone John Hicks – electric piano Mickey Bass – double bass Emanuel Rahim – conga Nataniel Bettis – percussion Richie "Pablo" Landrum – percussion Sonny Morgan – percussion July 28: Woody Shaw – trumpet Manny Boyd – flute Ramon Morris – tenor saxophone George Cables – piano, electric piano Stanley Clarke – electric bass Ray Mantilla – conga Buhaina Released: 1973 Recorded: March 26–29, 1973 Label: Prestige (P 10067) Format: LP Shaw Carter Jefferson – tenor and soprano saxophone Cedar Walton – piano, electric piano Bass Tony Waters – conga Guests: Jon Hendricks – vocals Michael Howell – guitar Anthenagin Released: 1973 Recorded: March 26–29, 1973 Label: Prestige (P 10076) Format: LP
Shaw Jefferson Walton Bass Waters Guests: Michael Howell – guitar Steve Turre – trombone Steve Turre is listed as "Steve Turley" on the album. In Walked Sonny Released: 1975 Recorded: May 16, 1975 Label Sonet (SNTF 691) Format: LP Bill Hardman – trumpet David Schnitter – tenor saxophone Walter Davis, Jr. – piano "Chin" Suzuki – double bass Guest: Sonny Stitt – tenor and alto saxophone Backgammon Released: 1976 Recorded: March 15 and 16, 1976 Label: Roulette (SR 5003) Format: LP Hardman Schnitter Al Dailey – piano Suzuki Guest: Ladji Camara – flute, vocals Gypsy Folk Tales Released: 1977 Recorded: February 12, 17, 28 and March 1, 1977 Label: Roulette (SR 5008) Format: LP Valery Ponomarev – trumpet Bobby Watson – alto saxophone Schnitter Walter Davis, Jr. – piano Dennis Irwin – double bass In My Prime Vol. 1 Released: 1978 Recorded: December 29, 1977 Label: Timeless (SJP 114) Format: LP Ponomarev Curtis Fuller – trombone Watson Schnitter James Williams – piano Irwin Ray Mantilla – percussion In My Prime Vol. 2 Released: 1978 Recorded: December 30, 1977 Label: Timeless (SJP 118) Format: LP Ponomarev Fuller Watson Schnitter Williams Irwin Mantilla Reflections in Blue Released: 1979 Recorded: December 4, 1978 Label: Timeless (SJP 128) Format: LP Ponomarev Watson Schnitter Williams Irwin Night in Tunisia: Digital Recording Released: 1979 Recorded: February 12, 1979 Label: Philips (6385 943) Format: LP Ponomarev Watson Schnitter Williams Irwin Album of the Year Released: 1981 Recorded: April 12, 1981 Label: Timeless (SJP 155) Format: LP Wynton Marsalis – trumpet Watson Bill Pierce – tenor saxophone Williams Charles Fambrough – double bass Oh-By the Way Released: 1982 Recorded: May 20, 1982 Label: Timeless (SJP 165) Format: LP Terence Blanchard – trumpet Donald Harrison – alto saxophone Pierce Johnny O'Neal – piano Fambrough New York Scene Released: 1984 Recorded: May, 1984 Label: Concord Jazz (CJ 256) Format: LP Blanchard Harrison Jean Toussaint – tenor saxophone Mulgrew Miller – piano Lonnie Plaxico – double bass Blue Night Released: 1985 Recorded: March 17, 1985 Label: Timeless (SJP 217) Format: LP, CD Blanchard Harrison Toussaint Miller Plaxico Feeling Good Released: 1986 Recorded: September 8 and 9, 1986 Label: Delos (D/CD 4007) Format: CD Wallace Roney – trumpet Tim Williams – trombone Kenny Garrett – alto saxophone Toussaint Donald Brown – piano Peter Washington – double bass Not Yet Released: 1988 Recorded: March 19, 1988 Label: Soul Note (SN 1105) Format: LP, CD Philip Harper – trumpet Robin Eubanks – trombone Javon Jackson – tenor saxophone Benny Green – piano Washington I Get a Kick Out of Bu Released: 1988 Recorded: November 11, 1988