The Drummer's Blueprint for Hard Bop
Blakey strips away pretense and lets the rhythm section speak with unmistakable authority.
Art Blakey made this record at a moment when hard bop was settling into its own identity—not bebop, not cool jazz, but something grittier that trusted the blues and the swing pocket above all else. This Is Jazz (1960) is exactly what the title promises: no experiments, no apologies, just a working band playing the kind of music that Blakey believed in completely. The album sits comfortably in his catalog as a solid, workmanlike statement during his most prolific years. It's not his masterpiece, but it's a honest snapshot of what the Jazz Messengers could do on any given Tuesday night.
What makes this record worth your time is its straightforwardness. These aren't complicated arrangements fighting for space—the compositions breathe, and Blakey's drumming does what it does best: propel everything forward with an inexhaustible engine. The rhythm section locks in tight, and you hear why Blakey was such a valued bandleader. He didn't need a gimmick. The tunes are solid blowing vehicles, the kind that give soloists room to stretch without wandering. There's a working-band efficiency here that some listeners find unglamorous, but it's actually refreshing in its lack of pretense.
If you're new to Blakey, start with Moanin' (1958) instead—it's the real essential entry point. This one works best once you already know what draws you to his approach. It's the kind of album a committed jazz listener puts on when they want reliable, unpretentious playing without needing to think too hard about it.
Who's playing
Jimmy "Spanky" DeBrestdouble bass
Sam Dockerypiano
Jackie McLeanalto saxophone
Bill Hardmantrumpet
Art Blakeydrums
Where next?
More by Art Blakey
A Night in Tunisia 1960
Vol. 2: Mission Eternal 1959
Moanin' 1958
Art Blakey And The Jazz Messengers 1961
The musicians on this record
Their own records, close in time
