Art Blakey (featuring Wayne Shorter): Children of the Night

Wayne Shorters first big career break came when he joined Art Blakeys Jazz Messengers in 1959. He quickly became the groups musical director, composing and arranging many of the bands most popular titles from the era. "Children Of The Night" features Shorters tenor from the outset with Hubbard and Fuller contributing harmonic accompaniment. At the time, Shorter was often compared to John Coltrane, and he does seem to take a cue from Trane at the beginning of his solo, navigating the changes with dense sheets of sound. That said, Shorters sound and conception are fully matured and his wry, often stuttering lines reveal his own original voice.