Art Blakey

Arthur (Art) Blakey, also known as Abdullah Ibn Buhaina, (October 11, 1919 - October 16, 1990) was an American jazz drummer and bandleader. Along with Kenny Clarke and Max Roach he was one of the inventors of the modern, bebop style of drumming. He was known as a powerful musician and a ferocious groover. He is undoubtedly one of the most influential jazz musicians ever; his brand of bluesy, funky hard bop is now the mainstream form of jazz. Over more than thirty years his band, the Jazz Messengers, included many young musicians who went on to become some of the most prominent names in jazz, including Jackie McLean, Freddie Hubbard, Wayne Shorter, Curtis Fuller, Donald Byrd, Cedar Walton, Lee Morgan, Hank Mobley, Benny Golson, Bobby Timmons, Jymie Merritt, Wynton Marsalis, Gary Bartz, Keith Jarrett, and Johnny Griffin. It is now widely regarded as an important training ground for many of the best young hard bop players of the time.

Early career

In the 1940s, Blakey was a member of bands led by Mary Lou Williams, Fletcher Henderson, and Billy Eckstine. He converted to Islam during a long visit to West Africa in the late 1940s and briefly took the name Abdullah Ibn Buhaina (which led to the nickname "Bu"). By the late forties and early fifties, Blakey was backing musicians such as Miles Davis, Bud Powell and Thelonious Monk - he is often considered to be Monk's most sympathetic drummer, and played on both his first recording session as a leader (for Blue Note Records in 1947) and his final one (in London in 1971), as well as many in between.

Related Topics:
1940s - Mary Lou Williams - Fletcher Henderson - Billy Eckstine - Islam - Africa - Miles Davis - Bud Powell - Thelonious Monk - Blue Note Records - 1947 - London - 1971

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