Biography
Art Blakey, born on October 11, 1919, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was a pioneering American jazz drummer and bandleader whose powerful, expressive drumming helped define the hard bop movement. Raised in challenging circumstances after the death of his mother, Blakey taught himself piano before switching to drums as a teenager, inspired by both necessity and the vibrant musical culture of Pittsburgh's Hill District[4][5]. He began his professional career in the 1930s, performing with swing bands and later joining the big bands of Fletcher Henderson and Billy Eckstine, where he played alongside future bebop legends such as Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker[1][2][3].
Blakey's style was marked by thunderous press rolls, polyrhythms, and a dynamic energy that brought the drums to the forefront of jazz performance. After a formative trip to Africa and a brief conversion to Islam (adopting the name Abdullah Ibn Buhaina), he returned to New York and became a sought-after collaborator, notably recording with Thelonious Monk and other bebop innovators[1][2][3]. In 1954, Blakey co-founded the Jazz Messengers with pianist Horace Silver, transforming the group into a legendary incubator for young talent. Over the next 35 years, the Jazz Messengers launched the careers of many future jazz stars, cementing Blakey's reputation as both a master musician and a mentor[2][4][5].
Blakey's legacy is inseparable from the evolution of hard bop, a style that fused bebop complexity with blues and gospel influences. His relentless drive, mentorship, and commitment to nurturing new voices made him one of jazz's most influential figures. Blakey received numerous honors, including induction into the DownBeat Jazz Hall of Fame and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, and his impact continues to resonate through generations of musicians[2][1].
Fun Facts
- Blakey was forced to switch from piano to drums after a club owner threatened him at gunpoint to play drums instead of piano[4].
- He converted to Islam and adopted the name Abdullah Ibn Buhaina after traveling to Africa in the late 1940s[1][2].
- Blakey was known for his ability to maintain independence between all four limbs while drumming, pioneering complex polyrhythms[5].
- The Jazz Messengers, Blakey's band, was called the 'Hard Bop Academy' for its role in developing future jazz stars[4].
Associated Acts
- Art Blakey Big Band - drums (drum set), eponymous (1957-12–1957-12)
- Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers - drums (drum set), eponymous
- Art Blakey Quartet - drums (drum set), eponymous
- The Art Blakey Percussion Ensemble - eponymous
- The Art Blakey Quintet - drums (drum set), eponymous
- Art Blakey & The Afro-Drum Ensemble - eponymous
- Thelonious Monk Septet - drums (drum set)
- Buddy DeFranco Quartet - drums (drum set)
- Fats Navarro Quintet - drums (drum set)
- Hank Mobley Quartet - drums (drum set)
- Gigi Gryce Quartet
- Miles Davis Quartet
- The Giants of Jazz
- Miles Davis and His Band
Musical Connections
Mentors/Influences
- Chick Webb - Gave Blakey advice on drumming technique during his early years in Pittsburgh. (Informal mentorship, no specific recordings.) [1930s]
- Sid Catlett - Provided guidance on drumming style and musical approach. (Informal mentorship, no specific recordings.) [1930s]
Key Collaborators
- Horace Silver - Co-founded the Jazz Messengers and recorded extensively together. (Albums with the Jazz Messengers (1954-1961), Blue Note recordings.) [1954-1961]
- Billy Eckstine - Played drums in Eckstine's big band, a hub for early bebop. (Performances and recordings with Eckstine's band.) [1944-1947]
- Thelonious Monk - Recorded Monk's first session and performed on several Blue Note recordings. (Blue Note sessions, Monk's early recordings.) [1947]
- Dizzy Gillespie - Collaborated as part of the Eckstine band and on bebop sessions. (Eckstine band recordings.) [1944-1947]
- Charlie Parker - Played together in Eckstine's band and on New York bebop sessions. (Eckstine band recordings.) [1944-1947]
Artists Influenced
- Wayne Shorter - Developed as a composer and saxophonist in the Jazz Messengers. (Albums with the Jazz Messengers.) [1959-1964]
- Freddie Hubbard - Gained prominence as a trumpeter in the Jazz Messengers. (Albums with the Jazz Messengers.) [1961-1966]
- Lee Morgan - Refined his trumpet style and compositional voice under Blakey. (Albums with the Jazz Messengers.) [1958-1961]
- Wynton Marsalis - Cited Blakey's mentorship as pivotal in choosing jazz over classical music. (Albums with the Jazz Messengers.) [1980s]
- Keith Jarrett - Early career development in the Jazz Messengers. (Albums with the Jazz Messengers.) [1960s]
- Terence Blanchard - Gained experience and recognition as a trumpeter in the Jazz Messengers. (Albums with the Jazz Messengers.) [1980s]
Connection Network
Discography
Albums
| Title | Release Date | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Moanin' (Expanded Edition) | 1959-01-01 | Album |
| Just Coolin' | 2020-07-17 | Album |
| The Big Beat (The Rudy Van Gelder Edition) | 2005-01-01 | Album |
| A Night In Tunisia (Remaster) | 2004-01-01 | Album |
| Like Someone In Love | 1967-08-01 | Album |
| The Jazz Messengers | 1956 | Album |
| Mosaic (The Rudy Van Gelder Edition) | 1961 | Album |
| Buhaina's Delight (Rudy Van Gelder Edition / Remastered) | 1963-07-01 | Album |
| Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers With Thelonious Monk (Deluxe Edition) | 1958 | Album |
| Free For All (Remastered / Rudy Van Gelder Edition) | 2004-01-01 | Album |
| Caravan (Remastered 2024) | 2024-03-01 | Album |
| The Freedom Rider | 1998-01-01 | Album |
| Indestructible | 2007-01-01 | Album |
| Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers | 1996-01-01 | Album |
| The Essential Art Blakey - The Columbia & RCA Years | 2018-02-02 | Album |
Top Tracks
- Moanin' (Moanin' (Expanded Edition))
- Along Came Betty (Moanin' (Expanded Edition))
- Moanin'
- Hipsippy Blues (Just Coolin')
- Quick Trick (Just Coolin')
- Dat Dere - Remastered 2005 (The Big Beat (The Rudy Van Gelder Edition))
- Come Rain Or Come Shine (Moanin' (Expanded Edition))
- Are You Real (Moanin' (Expanded Edition))
- Blues March (Moanin' (Expanded Edition))
- A Night In Tunisia - Remastered 2005 (A Night In Tunisia (Remaster))
External Links
Tags: #2008-universal-fire-victim, #afro-cuban-jazz, #afro-jazz
Heard on WWOZ
Art Blakey has been played 17 times on WWOZ 90.7 FM, New Orleans' jazz and heritage station. Showing the 10 most recent plays.
| Date | Time | Title | Show | Spotify |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 9, 2026 | 07:47 | Alamodefrom The House That Trane Built: The Best of Impulse Records | The Morning Setw/ Dave Dauterive | |
| Jan 5, 2026 | 06:30 | You Don't Know What Love Isfrom Impulse! Art Blakey! Jazz Messengers! | The Morning Setw/ Stuart Hall | |
| Dec 11, 2025 | 16:56 | The Song Is Youfrom A Jazz Message | Jazz from Jax Breweryw/ Keith Hill | |
| Dec 8, 2025 | 07:29 | Free For Allfrom Free For All | The Morning Setw/ Stuart Hall | |
| Dec 3, 2025 | 17:57 | just knock on my doorfrom a jazz message | Jazz from Jax Breweryw/ Al Colón | |
| Dec 3, 2025 | 07:19 | Close Your Eyesfrom Just Coolin' | The Morning Setw/ Breaux Bridges | |
| Nov 27, 2025 | 18:44 | The Song Is Youfrom A Jazz Message | Jazz from Jax Breweryw/ Keith Hill | |
| Nov 17, 2025 | 16:45 | CRISISfrom MOSAIC | Jazz from Jax Breweryw/ Maryse Dejean | |
| Nov 17, 2025 | 16:34 | Abdallah`s Delightfrom Orgy In Rhythm Vols 1&2 | Jazz from Jax Breweryw/ Maryse Dejean | |
| Nov 6, 2025 | 17:12 | Just Knock On My Doorfrom A Jazz Message | Jazz from Jax Breweryw/ Keith Hill |