The Jazz Messengers discography
Album Album Details Personnel
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
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
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
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
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
Impulse ! ! ! ! ! Art Blakey ! ! ! ! ! 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 1961 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
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 .
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, interspersed with one-off recordings for Cadet Records, Jubilee Records, and Atlantic. Starting in 1959, 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 the French Fontana Records appeared. In 1961, there was a single album on Impulse!