Jazz Feature: Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers: "Free For All"

Tonight's Jazz Feature is one of the most intense and incendiary recordings by Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers. It was done in February 1964. The fire and intensity was perhaps driven by the fact that several of the members of this long standing edition of the Messengers were hinting at leaving to move on to other bands or forming their own groups. The personnel of this band had been together since the end of 1961 and consisted of Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Curtis Fuller on trombone, Wayne Shorter on tenor saxophone and was also the band's musical director, Cedar Walton on piano, Reginald Workman on bass (the only living member) and of course the master fire stoker Art Blakey on drums. "Free For All" is the apt album title and the album was issued on Blue Note Records and is tonight's Jazz Feature. Listen here!!!