One of the greatest lineups of drummer Art Blakey's hard-bop finishing school The Jazz Messengers coalesced in 1960 when tenor saxophonist Wayne Shorter joined trumpeter Lee Morgan, pianist Bobby Timmons, and bassist Jymie Merritt for the recording of The Big Beat, an album that signaled the transformation of the band into a modern jazz juggernaut. In August of that year, The Jazz Messengers returned to Van Gelder Studio twice for sessions that would yield the companion albums A Night in Tunisia and Like Someone in Love. A Night in Tunisia would be the first of the two to be released, and it opened with a fiery version of Dizzy Gillespie's famous composition, which was a staple of the band's live set. The rest of the five-song set showcased beguiling new band member originals including Shorter's "Sincerely Diana," Timmons' "So Tired," and two tunes by Morgan: "Yama" and "Kozo's Waltz."
This Blue Note Classic Vinyl Edition is stereo, all-analog, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original master tapes, and pressed on 180g vinyl at Optimal.
Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers hit their artistic peak with the powerful A Night in Tunisia.-Rovi Staff, AllMusic.com, 4/5 stars
Features
• Blue Note Classic Vinyl Reissue Series
• 180g Vinyl LP
• All-Analog Pressing
• Mastered by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio from Original Analog Tapes
• Manufactured at Optimal in Germany
Musicians
Lee Morgan trumpet
Wayne Shorter tenor sax
Bobby Timmons piano
Jymie Merritt bass
Art Blakey drums
Selections
Side I:
1. A Night in Tunisia
2. Sincerely Diana
Side II:
1. So Tired
2. Yama
3. Kozo's Waltz