Ugetsu [Remastered]

The sextet with Fuller, Hubbard, Shorter, and Walton is my most favorite period of the Jazz Messengers. The ensemble sound is thick and diverse due to the mix of three different horns. The repertoire is strongly based on the compositions by the members, which are very well written. Blakey's drumming is thunderous, pushing forward the soloists. This recording captures the band in its top form in a live setting. A listener gets the feel for how the members interacted. Of the several albums from this period, I'd place this among the top three along with "Mosaic" and "Free For All". This is a must-have not only for Messenger fans, but for all Hard Bop fans.

I’ve never bought an Art Blakey album that I did not like. Excellent sound quality and performance. It is kind of rare, because Art does not have any long solos on this album, but it is so good that I did not even miss that.

I was first introduced to this album when I was young back in the 60s. My father played it continuously. Hearing it now makes me think of him with a smile.

Once again recorded live at Birdland, Art Blakey And The Jazz Messengers gave yet another coup performance at this prestigious New York jazz club in June of 1963 which became another solid landmark hit. Released the same year by the Riverside label, they deeply impressed the audiences with another astounding set of first class performances, riveting solos, sharp originality, exhilarating virtuosity and outrageous swing. A band heralded as one of the top four line-ups Blakey have ever led, music specialist and jazz critic Neil Tessler wrote in the CD liner notes: “There’s something special about Art Blakey and his band live and this album is certainly no exception”, whom he pointed out. “That’s partly because this was the natural environment which these guys were working night after night in the clubs. There are certain things that can happen in a live recording that don’t always happen in the more artificial record- ing studio”. Right along with other iconic tracks featured, including Wayne Shorter’s One By One and On The Gina, Curtis Fuller’s Time Off and the title track--written by Cedar Walton, the live classic also features (as usual) a well-performed reindition on the standard ballad I Didn’t Know What Time It Was. Plus what you will even get on Ugetsu are four great bonus tracks, including Eva, George Sheering’s bebop classic Conception, Thelonious Monk’s The High Priest and Miles Davis’ ‘pre-electric’ grand finale song The Theme, where as they add to the finishing touch on this spellbinding live masterwork that definitely ranks as one of Blakey’s greatest and most honoured achievements.

This recording features a front line horn section of Curtis Fuller, Wayne Shorter, and Freddie Hubbard. All are very exciting. Blakey and Workman do a fine job. The tunes are unusual and Cedar Walton adds some wonderful material. I think the Walton is often under-rated. Get this record. You will not regret it. It is every bit as good as any of Blakey's best Blue Note recordings from the 1960's.

While not as great as Mosaic, Ugetsu is a wonderful piece and a must have for any jazz collection. The phrasing of Wayne Shorter, Curtis Fuller and Freddie Hubbard will tickle your ears! Cedar Walton's playing is definitely more percussive than on Mosaic, however his interpretations are still well worth it. Art Blakey doesn't drive as much as on some recordings, but still very aggressive and in charge. The one downside for me is that Jymie Merritt isn't on this one, and while Reggie Workman definitely stays in the groove, his style isn't as distinctive as Merritt's. Still a fantastic piece of work.

The five years (1959-1964) Wayne Shorter was with the Jazz Messengers was their golden age All their recordings during this period are worth listening to. Even more so when they expanded to a sextet with Curtis Fuller.In other words, buy it!

I've had this album, since the '60s. It is performed by one of the best convocations of "Messengers". Freddie Hubbard, Wayne Shorter and Cedar Walton, in particular, perform brilliantly on all tracks. And of course, the master himself, Art Blakey, is in great form. THis album should be a part of any reasonable jazz collection!

I tend to agree with the other reviewers - this is certainly one of the very greatest Messenger line-ups and right up there with the best of their recorded offerings. A "live" recording surely gets the very best out of Blakey and his men and with the addition of Curtis Fuller on trombone there is certainly a bit more "bottom" to the ensemble passages than normally found with just trumpet and sax in the front line. But when the trumpet is handled by Freddie Hubbard and the tenor by Wayne Shorter - what a treat is in store for the listener. You always know precisely what you are going to get from any Blakey aggregation - full on, thunderous hard bob with some moments of reflective balladeering in between times. Oh, to have had the thrill of actually being there to see and hear them perform ! That now can never be, and so make do with this in the meantime. Recommended.

This little-known album was recorded live at Birdland, Manhattan on June 16, 1963 and captures Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers in fine form.This edition of The Messengers featured Blakey leading on drums with Wayne Shorter(tenor sax); Freddie Hubbard(trumpet); Curtis Fuller(trombone); Cedar Walton(piano) & Reggie Workman(bass). The ten memorable tracks include four Wayne Shorter compositions, two from Curtis Fuller and one from Cedar Walton with four tracks added to the original LP.This excellent, remastered 62-minute CD recorded over 50 years ago is an ideal introduction to the powerful and exciting hard bop of The Jazz Messengers.

Great music spoiled by poor quality recording!

Excellent album. Original recording not so good by modern standards BUT the music is there!

excellent album

The previous Jazz Messengers Quintet of Shorter/Timmons/Morgan had based their style on the great Miles Davis Quintet of the 50's, but used original material rather than standards. Although great at the time, their standing has dropped in hindsight as the 1960s Miles Davis 2nd Quintet did it a lot better (in large part thanks to Wayne Shorter).The Jazz Messengers Sextet of Shorter/Hubbard/Fuller took their style from Coltranes 1957 Blue Note classic "Blue Train", a more aggressive, arranged, but melodic package that has stood the test of time very well, as it was a style Coltrane did not pursue further.So here we have a live album recorded for Riverside Records at Birdland in 1963. A real gem as all of the compositions were newly released at the time. The 1962 Blue Note live set Three Blind Mice was rather lacklustre with an annoyingly out of tune piano, but this is a band at the height of its powers with ex Coltrane bassist Reggie Workman now a member. Great band compositions, particularly from Shorter, great soloists and Art Blakeys powerhouse drumming proppelling it all along. One of the all time great jazz groups.

Des centaines de titres de Blakey sont disponibles: pas de moment faible!Son groupe a été une université pour surdoués.Ici, avec Hubbard, Shorter, Walton et Workman, en 1963, au retour d'une bonne tournée au Japon, d'où le titre.Mais Blakey se trompe sur le sens exact du mot.!

Enregistré sur la scène du mythique Birdland de New-York le 16 juin 1963, du hard-bop à l'état pur. Art blakey y est une fois de plus à son apogée avec ce merveilleux sextet, celui que je préfère d'ailleurs car Curtis fuller ( trombone ) et Freddie Hubbard ( trumpet ) y apportent force et énergie mais sans délaisser pour autant le groove et l'esprit funky notamment sur le premier titre " One By One " composé par W.Shorter qui assure à présent la direction musicale. Cette réédition nous offre en plus une composition de George Shearing , " Conception ", sur laquelle Reggie Workman ( contrebasse ) y déploie toute son élégance et sa musicalité et Art Blakey un solo de batterie car il n'en avait pris aucun jusqu'à cet instant, le besoin ne s'en faisait pas sentir ; D'ailleurs, Art ne prend pas souvent des soli de batterie à n'en plus finir, sa musique parlant d'elle-même ... Du grand Jazz Messengers, à évidemment posséder de toute urgence ! Emilio L. ( Dordogne ).