Mosaic Selects
Ltd. Edition 3 CD Sets
Running Low

“While Mosaic never does wrong, this set is absolutely perfect. Three CDs of Andrew Hill, almost all of it previously unheard by the public. While these sessions probably sat in the vaults to lack of commercial viability at the time, they are every bit as good as Hill's contemporary Blue Note releases that have been released. Some of the lineups are chock full of heavy hitter sidemen- Sam Rivers, Lee Morgan, Woody Shaw, etc. Overall the set is a good indicator of the diversity of Hill's compositonal ideas in the late 60s. He is heard in large group settings, trio settings, and most amazingly working with a string quartet. I find the string quartet sessions to be the most remarkable on the set.” - Customer Review

Mosaic Select: Andrew Hill

"A remarkable burst of creativity over a two week span. Of course the Chet Baker reunion is marvelous. The Vinnie Burke strings are a great complement to Mulligan. I have to admit I was a bit worried about it. To be honest, while I love Gerry, I really bought this set for the Annie Ross session. Just fantastic! Her version of "I Feel Pretty" was worth the price for me. Transcendent.” - Customer Review

Mosaic Select: Gerry Mulligan

“ I've been purchasing Mosaic sets since the 90s and this is among my top five. Tyner's vision comes into focus on these sessions--powerful piano, extended modal songs, Eastern influences, and beautiful melodies. Remastering is top-notch as are the sidemen throughout.” - Customer Review

Mosaic Select: McCoy Tyner

Mosaic Singles
Neglected Gems
Running Low

“This is such a great session. It is still so surprising that this lineup of the Messengers is overlooked and underrated. This lineup deserves to be heralded as one of Blakey's best alongside the Golson/Morgan/Timmons/Merritt '58 and the Shorter/Hubbard/Fuller/Walton/Merritt or Workman '61-'64 lineups. And, of course, this set has all of Mosaic's usual exemplary production hallmarks.” - Customer Review

Art Blakey - Hard Bop

“ The mastering on this disc is fantastic. Excellent sonic clarity all around. That, combined with Lloyd's great sense of melody and forward-thinking songwriting make for a satifsying listening experience. Lloyd's cool and progressive style is a joy, and the interplay between all the band members is superb. Tony Williams was one of the funkiest jazz drummers around, too! Buy this and you will find yourself seeking out more Charles Lloyd. Not to be missed! ” - Customer Review

Charles Lloyd - Of Course, Of Course

Art Blakey And The Jazz Messengers-Live In France 1959 (Jazz

Mosaic Singles

Suggested Retail Price: $24.98
Our Price: $19.98

Playable In All Regions

Limited Edition

DVD - $19.98

ADD TO WISHLIST

Wayne Shorter's Baptism By Fire
In the fall of 1959, Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers were in a fascinating transition. The all-new 1958 edition of the band with Benny Golson, Lee Morgan, Bobby Timmons and Jymie Merritt had scored big with the album Moanin' which featured tunes by Golson and Timmons that became instant classics. But Golson left at the beginning of 1959 to form The Jazztet (Hank Mobley took his place) and Bobby Timmons left in the fall to join Cannonball Adderley's quintet.

Mobley was replaced that fall by newcomer Wayne Shorter whose sound and conception would forever change the sonic landscape of the Jazz Messengers. Walter Davis, Jr. filled in for Timmons's several months with Adderley. Walter was a two-fisted pianist out of the Bud Powell school and he had as much drive on his instrument as Blakey had on his drums.

Art Blakey took the band to Europe before there was time to develop a new band book, so here we get to hear Shorter's unique spin on Golson's Along Came Betty and Blues March and the former Mobley feature Close Your Eyes before they disappeared from the Messengers' repertoire. We also get a glimpse of where things are headed with Lee Morgan's What Know (aka Goldie) and an early Shorter composition that Blakey never officially recorded Nelly Bly (aka Mama G). Shorter and Morgan are absolutely on fire throughout this 80-minute concert.

As with any Jazz Messenger performance, this is inspired jazz with a volcanic swing. Art Blakey's soaring dynamics and irresistible rhythms are evident on any of his records, but the visual element reveals just how powerfully he controlled the shape of the music and drove each soloist to new heights. Additionally this show captures the group's music at an interesting juncture of the recent past and the foreseeable future.

"The first edition of the Jazz Messengers that I saw in person was the sextet with Wayne Shorter, Freddie Hubbard and Curtis Fuller. He shaped and colored each tune from the drum stool and when he hit fifth gear in the final chorus of each solo, it was as organically exciting as music can be. I saw dozens of incarnations of the Messengers over the next 26 years. And Art's power, dynamics and thunderous swing were as exciting in 1989 as they were in 1963. It used to love to stand on stage when Art Blakey; the feeling under my feet was close to what I would imagine the experience of sailing through an ice tunnel in a 120-miles-per-hour bobsled".
- Michael Cuscuna

Jazz Icons 6 DVD Box Set: $99.98

Available As Single DVDs:
John Coltrane- Live In France 1965: $24.98
Thelonious Monk - Live In France 1969: $24.98
Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers - Live In France 1959: $19.98
Johnny Griffin - Live In France 1971: $19.98
Freddie Hubbard - Live In France 1973: $19.98
Rahsaan Roland Kirk - Live In France 1972: $19.98