Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers: The Drum Thunder Suite

While Art Blakey's earlier sessions with, respectively, Horace Silver and Thelonious Monk were essential in developing the Jazz Messengers craft, Moanin' levitated the group to its true level of innovation. With the contrasting yet equally autographical gospel blues of "Moanin'" and the rapid-fire attack of "The Drum Thunder Suite," this record set the standard to which the Messengers sound would consistently adhere throughout much of its career. The arrival of longtime members Morgan and Timmons, and briefly tenured yet influential tenorman/composer Benny Golson, resulted in one of the more effortless Jazz Messengers grooves. Note the classic Blakey solo characteristics throughout this tune: the melodic call-and-response between the toms, the loud, multi-drum rolls, and the cymbals used as accents, all performed while maintaining the constant hi-hat pulse.