Art Blakey Quintet - A Night at Birdland, Volume 2
List Price:
Our Price: $4.39
You Save: $4.55 (51%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $2.99 (click here)
Category: Music CD
See more CD details
Buy this Music CD at online store in your country
Canadian Music Store
Canadian Music Store
CD Details
Artist: Art Blakey QuintetEdition: Music CD
Format: Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered
CD Release Date: 2001-08-07
Music Label: Blue Note Records
Soundtracks:
- Wee-Dot
- If I Had You
- Quicksilver
- Now's The Time
- Confirmation
- The Way You Look Tonight
- Lou's Blues
Music reviews of A Night at Birdland, Volume 2
Music Review: More of the most remarkable jazz you will hear in your life
Rating: 5 Stars
Allow me to tell you a hidden secret about Blue Note Records.
Whenever a live jazz event was recorded and Blue Note (read: Rudy Van Gelder) was present for the event, the music was probably released as a double LP (or now, CD), fooling you into thinking that it was divided into two even sets (the interested listener can look to Blakey's AT THE JAZZ CORNER OF THE WORLD, MEET YOU AT THE JAZZ CORNER OF THE WORLD, Coleman's AT THE GOLDEN CIRCLE, etc. One exception is Lee Morgan's 3 disc LIVE AT THE LIGHTHOUSE, which reflected the 70's' trend of longer, modal pieces, and thus longer sets). 99% of the time, there were many rejected pieces, with Blakey's historic 1954 gig no exception. Blue Note simply has austere standards and only the best of the night's notes made it into the double set.
Blakey's night in Birdland contained 18 selections of music in five sets, rather than the appearance of 14 selections in two sets that Blue Note conjures (the unreleased tracks are QUICKSILVER [1st take], OUR DELIGHT, WEE DOT [2nd take], and CONFIRMATION [1st take]). Also, the track order was changed to give the album more of a flow. The first selection of the night, the alternate take of Wee Dot, was replaced on VOL 1 in favor of the radiant Split Kick, while the very last song of the gig, Quicksilver (master take), was replaced on Vol 2 by the lightning quick Confirmation, which was consequently fused with the calm "Lullaby of Birdland" to end the music.
Blue Note's tricky deception aside, Blakey's music will gratify even the moldiest of figs to utmost enthusiasm.
Such unwavering energy. Fortunately, since the tracks from both volumes of the Night at Birdland are mixed in order, there is no fatigue evident in the lovable, constantly energetic jazz. From the frenetic pace of WEE DOT to the last notes of the driving CONFIRMATION, the circumstances of the night (a wild audience, the musicians' first huge break, the presence of a recording engineer..) propelled Blakey's band into some of the most requested music ever recorded.
This volume's for fans of Lou Donaldson. Lou is honored in his own ballad feature, the sentimental and bluesy IF I HAD YOU. I was playing this track in a hotel room with my tenor-playing buddy, and the Lou's opening melody statement caused him to lift up his head and go "ahhh!!! So beautiful!" Blue Lou also gets to flash his bop chops on Charlie Parker compositions NOW'S THE TIME and CONFIRMATION, as well as providing his own tune, LOU'S BLUES.
Dig the flexibility of hard bop's inaugaration. This music can serve as the most romantic and intimate of music (as most reviews love to say, clink your glasses and dine to this loveliness), for instance with Donaldson's enchanting ballad feature; undoubtedly, it also is a clinic in how to run a fervent jazz quintet: driving rhythms, virile improvisations, and ardent enthusiasm for the music. "Something for everyone" is a tag this might receive at the market.
Harmonic creativity and flexibility you will not find in this night of music. The first volume features two blues (BLUES and WEE DOT), while the second volume features three more blues (LOU'S BLUES, WEE DOT, and NOW'S THE TIME). The rest of the music consists of either originals based on other songs' chord changes, or standards that by this point are beaten into the ground.
It's a minor quibble, but what about the four unreleased tracks? Most people wouldn't know about them if it weren't for released discographies, but with the current "Let's release everything!" era, (thanks, Luhrs), this music is bound to be released in completion someday, regardless of the recent RVG remaster.
At times, Vol. 2 feels like a "best of the rest" disc of the entire night. The band's most inspired performances are contained on the first disc. While this volume contains better musical dialogue and tighter ensemble cohesion, its improvisations are lacking a notch in energy compared to the first volume. The band wasn't invincible, and indeed was susceptible to tiredness at times.
For the most dedicated of Clifford Brown fans, don't look at this. Go for the magisterial "COMPLETE BLUE NOTE AND PACIFIC JAZZ RECORDINGS OF CLIFFORD BROWN", which, while being extremely affordable, includes both volumes of this gig, EMINENT J.J. JOHNSON Vol. 1, CLIFFORD BROWN MEMORIAL ALBUM, and THE IMMORTAL CLIFFORD BROWN.
As impressive or essential as any jazz album is, you can't seriously call yourself a fan of jazz music or one with a jazz library without this CD and its companion. It's just too seminal to be forgotten, especially since it includes jazz's most kingly trumpeter, funkiest pianist and saxophonist, and its most talented drummer.
Not enough can be said about how splendid this documentation is, especially in lieu of its rarity. Blakey's quintet here toured and performed for at least 3 months, with this being the only surviving recording. This rarity only increases the music's nobility and the listener's curiosity as to what else they could have played, inspired, and uplifted.
The album's best track is Lou's Blues. This (or Quicksilver) might be the fastest selection of both volumes, and the quintet is simply textbook in its rhythmic endurance, numerous ideas, and curious explorations in improvisation.
Come out and hear the King of Hard Bop and his royal subjects make history for the annals. Come for Volume 1, stay for Volume 2 of A NIGHT AT BIRDLAND.
Description of A Night at Birdland, Volume 2
With Three Successful Albums To His Credit, Ross Is At The Top Of His Game And Ready To Take On The World. On His Fourth Album Teflon Don Ross Is Riding High With The Album'S First Single "Superhigh" Feat. Ne-Yo. On Teflon Don, Ross Joins Forces With Music'S Elite, Jay-Z, Kanye West, Chrisette Michele, Raphael Saadiq To Name A Few, To Create Another Classic Album In His Hip Hop Legacy.International CDs
Music Genres
Bestsellers in International CDs
Hopscotch - Wishful WayRelease date: 2003-11-03; Music CD
Price in other shops:
![Coral Sea Dreaming [VHS] Image](/images/noimg.gif)
David Hannan - Coral Sea Dreaming [VHS]Compass Records; Release date: 1998-11-17; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $6.25
Price in other shops:
![20th Anniversary Celebration [VHS] Image](/images/20th-Anniversary-Celebration-VHS-6302274060-X.jpg){kind=small}
Steeleye Span - 20th Anniversary Celebration [VHS]Shanachie; Release date: 1995-04-16; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $5.94
Price in other shops:
Chris Rea - Return of the Fabulous Hofner BluenotesRelease date: 2008-03-11; Music CD
Best price: $38.91
Price in other shops:
A Concert Of Angels mini: Music From J.S. Bach To Gustav Mahlerby edel Classics GmbH
Edel Classica Gmbh; Published: 2006-11-06; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $8.69
Price in other shops:
Tanzkurs Vol. 4 - Rumba & Cha Cha ChaRelease date: 2007-06-08; DVD
Best price: $10.91
Price in other shops:
Sascha Hehn & The New Symphonic Orchestra - Peter Und Der Wolf/ Karneval Der TiereRelease date: 2010-04-27; Music CD
Best price: $6.00
Price in other shops:
Jurgen Fritsche, Sven Gortz - Edgar Allan Poe: Das Grauen IIRelease date: 2009-12-08; Music CD
Best price: $6.30
Price in other shops:
Sorene. CD. Kinderlieder aus Äthiopien - Children's Songs from Ethiopiaby Peter Pannke
Sunnymoon Distribution; Published: 2000-03-01; Audio CD; Book
Tibetan Meditation Music: For Quiet Mind and Peaceful Heartby Nawang Khechog
Soundstrue; Sounds True 2007-04-01; Published: 2007; Audio CD; Book
Best price: $0.98
Similar CDs
Horace Silver - Song for My FatherRelease date: 1999-04-20; Music CD
Best price: $4.86
Price in other shops:
Sarah Vaughan - Sarah Vaughan with Clifford BrownRelease date: 2000-02-29; Music CD
Best price: $9.95
Price in other shops:
Clifford Brown, Max Roach - Study in BrownBROWN,CLIFFORD; Release date: 1990-10-25; Music CD
Best price: $3.88
Price in other shops:
Dexter Gordon - GoRelease date: 1999-03-23; Music CD
Best price: $4.44
Price in other shops:
Art Blakey & Jazz Messengers - At the Cafe BohemiaRelease date: 2001-08-07; Music CD
Best price: $4.84
Price in other shops:
Hank Mobley - Soul StationRelease date: 1999-03-23; Music CD
Best price: $3.71
Price in other shops:
Clifford Brown & Max Roach: Vme SeriesRelease date: 2000-02-29; Music CD
Best price: $8.46
Price in other shops:
Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers - Art Blakey and the jazz messengers Blue notes 4003Release date: 1999-03-23; Music CD
Best price: $4.60
Price in other shops:
Art Blakey - The Jazz MessengersRelease date: 2008-02-01; Music CD
Best price: $2.59
Price in other shops:
A Night at Birdland, Vol. 1Release date: 2001-08-07; Music CD
Best price: $4.32
Price in other shops: