Requisites
Live At Sweet Basil Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers | By Eddie Carter
This morning’s column came about when the alarm went off, and I woke up to Jodi by Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers on my phone. It got my day started on a jazzy note, and I went to the shelf and picked out Live at Sweet Basil (Paddle Wheel K28P 6357) to discuss. It was initially released in Japan, and the album combines two March 24, 1985, sets of the sextet’s last night at the jazz club. The lineup consists of Terence Blanchard on trumpet, Donald Harrison on alto saxophone, Jean Toussaint on tenor saxophone, Mulgrew Miller on piano, Lonnie Plaxico on bass, and Art Blakey on drums. The copy I own is the 1985 U.S. Stereo release (GNP Crescendo GNPS 2182).
Side One opens with Art’s introduction to the ensemble’s speedy melody of Jodi by Walter Davis. Jean ignites the first exhilarating interpretation. Donald responds energetically next, then Terence carves out a brilliant statement, and Mulgrew makes the most of the following reading. After the theme’s reprise, Art has the last word and gives a vigorous workout, into the close. Benny Golson’s Blues March settles into a comfortable medium tempo for Blakey’s marching introduction, leading to the ensemble’s theme. Harrison and Toussaint get things going in the first two solos, shadowed by the front line as they unfold. Blanchard goes to work next, continuing the easy beat as he explores a few musical ideas. Miller brings out his soulful charm in the next reading, and Plaxico walks leisurely toward the sextet’s closing chorus and finale.
Side Two takes off at a brisk clip with Art’s vigorous introduction to the rapid-fire theme of Mr. Babe by Donald Harrison. Terence is off and running at a furious pace. Donald continues the rapid acceleration in the second statement, then Jean keeps the momentum going with spirited choruses next. Mulgrew closes with a high-speed performance ahead of the melody’s reprise and an abrupt stop. Miller’s introduction brings Bobby Timmons’ classic Moanin’ to life, segueing into the group’s bluesy melody. The solo order is Blanchard, Harrison, Toussaint, Miller, and Plaxico, and all five members of the sextet get into a good groove that flows efficiently back into the closing chorus, a vibrant ending, and the audience’s approval.
Horst Liepolt and Shigeyuki Kawashima produced Live at Sweet Basil, and Kazunori Sugiyama was the recording engineer. Akira Makino was the mastering engineer, and Hatsuro Takanami was the remix engineer. The album was remixed and mastered at King Studios in Tokyo, Japan. The sound quality is excellent and transports the listener to a front row seat at Sweet Basil to enjoy the music. Live at Sweet Basil is an underrated treasure within the Jazz Messengers’ discography, showcasing one of the finest groups Art Blakey ever assembled. If you’re a long-time fan of hard bop or a newcomer, I encourage you to check out Live at Sweet Basil by Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers on your next record shop visit. It’s a terrific release that I’m proud to own, and I highly recommend it for a spot in your library!
~ Moanin’ – Source: JazzStandards.com
~ Blues March – Source: Wikipedia.org
© 2026 by Edward Thomas Carter
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Jimmy Mundy was born James Mundy in Cincinnati, Ohio on June 28, 1907. He learned to play the saxophone as a child but gained his arranging skills in his early twenties playing in the local bands of Erskine Tate, Tommy Miles and Carroll Dickerson.
In 1932 he sat in the saxophone chair of the Earl Hines band for four years, but swiftly developing a reputation as an arranger. Arranging a couple of tunes for Claude Hopkins in 1932, it was after selling one of his arrangements to Benny Goodman in 1935 that Mundy was hired him away from Hines, becoming Goodman’s staff arranger.
Mundy was also a significant supplier of arrangements to Count Basie from about 1940 to 1947, as well as writing for Gene Krupa, Paul Whiteman, Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Spivak, Harry James and many others. He briefly led his own band in 1939, but after WWII he returned to arranging for Basie, James, and others.
Jimmy wrote the score to the 1955 musical “The Vamp” that starred Carol Channing. The 1957 musical “Livin’ The Life” and the 2010 dance revue “Come Fly Away” also had some of his music.
In 1959, a move to Paris had Mundy as the musical director for Barclay Records but he returned to the U.S. in the Sixties. He continued an active career as a writer well into the 1970s. He recorded three albums as a leader with his last “Fiesta In Brass” the year before his death. On April 24, 2003, tenor saxophonist, arranger and composer Jimmy Mundy passed away.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Shad Collins was born Lester Rallingston Collins on June 27, 1910 in Elizabeth, New Jersey. He learned to play the trumpet and acquired the nickname Shad in his teens. The late 1920s saw him joining Charlie Dixon’s band and performing with pianist Eddie White before joining Chick Webb’s band in 1931. In the mid 1930s he played and toured Britain and Europe with Teddy Hill and then joined the Count Basie Orchestra.
Collins performed in Basie’s band at the From Spirituals to Swing concerts in New York City in 1938 and 1939. By the late 1930s he was working in the bands led by Benny Carter, Lester Young and Don Redman among others.
In 1941, he replaced Dizzy Gillespie in Cab Calloway’s band for two years, then sporadically through 1946. He worked and recorded in the 1940s with Oran “Hot Lips” Page, in the 50s with Jimmy Rushing, Lester Young and Sam “The Man” Taylor, when the later ventured into a more rhythm and blues sound.
Though he worked more on a part-time basis during the Sixties, he never recorded as a leader but was known for composing and arranging the frequently recorded tune “Rock-A-Bye Basie”. On June 6, 1978 trumpeter, composer and arranger Shad Collins passed away.
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Jimmy Deuchar was born James Deuchar on June 26, 1930 in Dundee, Scotland. Taught trumpet by WWI bugler John Lynch, after national service he began his professional career in the John Dankworth Seven in 1950. He would go on to work with the Oscar Rabin Band, Ronnie Scott, and Kurt Edelhagen’s Orchestra through the decade.
By the Sixties he was working with Tubby Hayes and sitting in with visiting Americans at Ronnie Scott’s club. A highly gifted player and a leading exponent of the “modern” style, he was in demand and achieved success as a touring player in Europe and the United States.
He joined the Kenny Clarke-Francy Boland Big Band during the late 60 and early 70s, returned to London and freelanced, arranged for the BBC Big Band, the BBC Scottish Radio Orchestra and played in a number of settings.
He recorded a number of albums as a leader and sideman beginning in the Fifties utilizing many of his compositions on albums such as The Deuchar Plays Deuchar, Down In The Village, Pal Jimmy and Live In London.
With his health deteriorated, on September 9, 1993 jazz trumpeter and arranger Jimmy Deuchar, who was influenced by Fats Navarro and whose small range was broad and fat toned, passed away at age 63.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Bill Russo was born William Russo on June 25, 1928 in Chicago, Illinois and studied piano under Lennie Tristano. He would become an arranger and composer and by the 1950s was writing groundbreaking orchestral scores for the Stan Kenton Orchestra. He would compose for Kenton 23 Degrees N 82 Degrees W, Frank Speaking, Portrait of a Count and one of his most famous Halls Of Brass, featuring Buddy Childers, Maynard Ferguson and Milt Bernhart.
By the 60s Russo moved to England, founded the London Jazz Orchestra, and contributed to the Third Stream movement that sought to close the gap between jazz and classical music. Returning to Chicago by mid-decade he founded Columbia College’s music department, became the director of its Center for New Music, the college’s first full-time faculty member and the Director of Orchestral Studies at Scuola Europea d’Orchestra Jazz in Palermo, Italy.
Bill has composed classical symphonies, choral works, operas and several works for the theater. He has received a Koussevitsky award, had his work performed by the New York Philharmonic, the San Francisco and Chicago Symphony Orchestras, and has set music to the poetry of Gertrude Stein as well as scores for dance and film.
Russo has worked with Manny Albam, Teo Macero, Teddy Charles, Donald Byrd, Phil Woods, Bill Evans, Eddie Costa, Bob Brookmeyer, Al Cohn and Art Farmer among others. Starting the Chicago Jazz Ensemble, which is dedicated to preserving and expanding jazz, He was succeeded by Jon Faddis and it is currently under the artistic direction of Dana Hall. Trombonist, composer, arranger, eudcator and author Bill Russo passed away on January 11, 2003 after a bout with cancer. He was 74 years old.