Drum Suite

This article is about the album by Art Blakey. For the album by Slide Hampton, see Drum Suite (Slide Hampton album). For the album by the Manny Albam-Ernie Wilkins Orchestra, see The Drum Suite.
Drum Suite
Studio album by
Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers
ReleasedApril 1957
Recorded
  • June 25, 1956
  • December 13, 1956
  • February 22, 1957
StudioColumbia 30th Street Studio
New York City
GenreJazz
Length40:57
LabelColumbia
CL 1002
ProducerGeorge Avakian
Art Blakey chronology
Ritual
(1957) 		Drum Suite
(1957) 		Orgy in Rhythm
(1957)
The Jazz Messengers chronology
Hard Bop
(1956) 		Drum Suite
(1956–57) 		Ritual
(1957)

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. 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.

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic
Disc

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".

Track listing

Original release

Side one: Drum Suite
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."The Sacrifice"Art Blakey5:16
2."Cubano Chant"Ray Bryant4:01
3."Oscalypso"Oscar Pettiford8:48
Side two: The Jazz Messengers
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Nica's Tempo"Gigi Gryce8:24
2."D's Dilemma"Mal Waldron8:32
3."Just for Marty"Bill Hardman5:56

2005 Columbia/Legacy CD reissue

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."The Sacrifice"Art Blakey5:16
2."Cubano Chant"Ray Bryant4:01
3."Oscalypso"Oscar Pettiford8:48
4."Nica's Tempo"Gigi Gryce8:24
5."D's Dilemma"Mal Waldron8:32
6."Just for Marty"Bill Hardman5:56
7."Lil' T (a.k.a. The Third)" 8:12
8."The New Message (a.k.a. Little T)" (Take 1) 8:39
9."The New Message (a.k.a. Little T)" (Take 3) 5:32

Personnel

  • June 25, 1956 (Tracks 7–9)

    The Jazz Messengers—December 13, 1956 (Side two)

    The Art Blakey Percussion Ensemble—February 22, 1957 (Side one)

    References

    1. ^ Billboard, April 29, 1957.
    2. ^ "Art Blakey Catalog - album index", JazzDisco.org; accessed June 5, 2013.
    3. ^ Schwartz, Steve, and Michael Fitzgerald, "Chronology of Art Blakey (and the Jazz Messengers)", May 1996-July 6, 2008; accessed June 5, 2013.
    4. ^ "Art Blakey And The Jazz Messengers* – Drum Suite" at Discogs.
    5. ^ a b Leggett, Steve, Allmusic Review; accessed June 5, 2013.
    6. ^ Hall, Tony (22 February 1958). "Swingiest drummer in Jazz". Disc. No. 3. p. 19.