Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers - The Jazz Messengers At The Caf� Bohemia (2LP)

180g vinyl 2LP set in deluxe gatefold sleeve with iconic pictures by jazz photographer Francis Wolff. Originally released as The Jazz Messengers at the Caf� Bohemia Vol.1 (Blue Note BLP 1507 and BLP 1508.

One of the definitive bands of the hard bop genre, The Jazz Messengers' soulful and hard driving sound set the benchmark of excellence in jazz. The present set, recorded live at the celebrated Caf� Bohemia in New York, was one of the best from their early years. This music originally appeared divided into two 12 volumes, whose contents are included in their entireties on this 2-LP set.

There's excellent, cohesive trumpet by Kenny Dorham and piano by Horace Silver that leaps into the emotions. Doug Watkins is equal to the never-coasting rhythmic demands of Silver and the omni-cooking Art Blakey. - **** 1/2 Nat Hentoff, DownBeat