Art Blakey

Art Blakey was born to a poor family in the heart of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1919. He was working in the steel and coal mills when he was only fourteen. There were no child labor laws in those times. He had to work to help support his family and put food on the table. Blakey turned to music as a way of escaping the exhausting day-to-day labor of the mills. Blakey taught himself how to play the piano. Even though he couldn't read music, and could only play songs in three keys, Blakey was a crowd favorite a several local venues. He used to make fifteen-twenty dollars a night in tips every night he went. At fifteen Blakey was leading his own band. They were small and unknown, but played at clubs all around the city.

One night while Blakey and his band were playing at a club, Blakey grabbed the sticks out of his drummers hand, and showed him how he wanted the drummer to play. Watched by the owner of the club, the show went on the same way for several more weeks. About a month later a young pianist named Errol Garner heard Blakey playing at the club and went up to offer him some advise. When the club owner heard Garner play the piano he told Blakey to get rid of his drummer, and play the drums himself. Blakey assured the owner he didn't know how to play the drums, but the owner showed Blakey the handgun tucked away in his pants, and Blakey argued no more. "It was now a matter of survival" said Blakey.

Blakey enjoyed playing the drums, and soon developed a unique style of play. He constantly used sudden dynamic shifts along with odd interjections. His style fit perfectly with Garner's idiosyncratic approach to playing the piano. This band still under the leadership of Blakey would only stay together about four years. However it would give two great jazz musicians the starts they needed to build on a lifelong music career.

At age 20 Blakey joined up and toured with Fletcher Henderson. Henderson helped Blakey to discover new and more diverse drum rhythms. He also helped him perfect his already unique style of drumming. While with Henderson's band, Blakey crossed paths with jazz greats like Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie. One night while on a break from performing, Gillespie pulled Blakey to the side and taught him the one thing that would define Blakey's drum style for the rest of his life. When the band returned on stage Henderson, Blakey, and the rest of the band began to play like normal. When suddenly out of nowhere Blakey's bass drum rang out on the offbeat. It was a very powerful, very loud, very noticeably, change and the crowd loved it. "Dropping Bombs" became one of Art Blakey's trademarks as a percussionist.

While touring with Fletcher Henderson, Blakey developed a strong affinity for the bop style. He forged a crisp, driving sound, and he loved to play loud. With ferocious cymbal attacks, unpredictably crescendos, brush rolls, and with out a doubt his insanely loud bombs, Blakey was destined for greatness.

While still with Henderson's band Blakey started doing recordings on the side. He met pianist Mary Lou Williams, and did a few recordings with her. His big recording break however, came when he met the legendary piano player Thelonious Monk. He and Monk recorded several modern, very important tracks together. These recordings, made Art Blakey's name known not only in the jazz community but in the homes of jazz fans.

When Art Blakey got a call from a well known New York City band leader. He took a shot and went for change. Billy Eckstine had a bop oriented band in the city that played at all the hot jazz clubs in town. Even though Blakey didn't stay with Eckstine long he continued to make a name for himself not only as a jazz musician but as a "bop" style powerhouse. He pushed the "bop" style to the next level of the top drummer of the time, Max Roach.

When he left Echstine in 1947, Blakey gave band leading another shot. In the late 1940's Blakey led two bands, one large and one small combo. Both bands had the same name: The "Jazz Messengers" were born. The "Jazz Messengers played various clubs around the U.S. Spreading there love for the music wherever they went. After a few years the band members went there separate ways, but the passion for jazz stayed with Blakey, and so did his message.

In 1954 Blakey met a very talented Horace Silver. Silver had already made a name for himself as a great jazz piano player, and composer. Blakey and Silver put together a quintet which also included trumpeter Kenny Dorham, and tenor saxophonist Hank Mobley. This quintet adopted the name that Blakey had created. This time the "Jazz Messengers" had a young, talented, vibrant group of musicians. This quintet began to record with Blue Note Records and was a main contributor to the new styles that were being created. "Hard Bop" was now a recognized style of Jazz and Art Blakey was one of its creators.

Horace Silver left the "Jazz Messengers" in 1956,

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