Drummer/Bandleader Art Blakey: "Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers '70"

This is the only recording of this edition of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers. He had many and some were widely recorded, some were not and some went unrecorded. This was a good one. Trumpeter Bill Hardman who played with Blakey in 1956/57 returns a more fully developed player along with newcomer originally from Panama, tenor saxophonist Carlos Garnett. Joanne Brackeen is on piano and she is the first woman ever to be a Jazz Messenger and of course she is great. Czech bassist Jan Arnet is strong and keeps the bottom happening. Blakey is Blakey, strong, swinging, masterful and exciting. The repertoire is standard Blakey material but sounds fresh. Tunes like "Moanin'", "Whisper Not", "Blues March" and of course "A Night in Tunisia" and others are all here. The band was recorded in Tokyo on February 19,1970 hence the title. Check it out. No flies on this band!