In the summer of 1980, the jazz world bore witness to an electrifying fusion of talent, rhythm, and soul as Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers Big Band took the stages of two iconic European festivals: Montreux and North Sea.

The Big Band performers, next to Art Blakey on drums, consisted of a stellar line-up with Bill Pierce, Bobby Watson, Valery Ponomarev, James Williams, Charles Fambrough, Wynton Marsalis, Branford Marsalis, Robin Eubanks, Kevin Eubanks and John Ramsey. For the Marsalis brothers, Wynton and Branford, and also Eubanks brothers Robin and Kevin these were their first ever recordings of them together. Tracks include “Minor Thesis”, “A Wheel Within A Wheel”, “Bit A Bittadose” and two more compositions serve as a testament to the power of improvisation.

The Band

It was during one of our many dressing room conferences in October, 1979 that Art Blakey revealed his plans for the Big Band Tour, a seemingly far-fetched idea. “Everybody must write,” Art directed, and upon our return to New York City the word spread of our planned expansion. The response was overwhelming.

The scene of many auditions was “MIKELL’S”, a club on New York City’s upper west side. It was there that we first heard most of our prospective members including Wynton Marsalis, Billy Pierce and Robin Eubanks.

Well, Wynton brought Branford, Robin brought Kevin and Gamal (Art’s son) brought John Ramsey, our second drummer.

The new members ranged in age from 19 to 30. Art wanted a concept of memorization with spontaneous input from all band members. Not busy, crowded arrangements, but rather simple, pretty melodies that swung and allowed creative freedom for all members resulting with “every tub standing on its own bottom.” Each member held the ability to play as a featured soloist. The band was a showcase for young musicians, giving them a chance to display their many talents.

All the Messengers contributed arrangements, as well as arrangements from noted alumni Mickey Tucker, Ray Copeland and Mickey Bass. With such a wide array of music we didn’t have much practice time due to the hectic pace. Art does not believe in time off, hence, our club appearances were supplemented with expanded arrangements from our sextet book. The band played standing, and after the first few weeks no sheet music was allowed on stage.
(Branford Marsalis had memorized the entire sextet book in one week!) It was a band of high caliber and fiery potential. Time will tell !!!
The band debuted in New York City’s “Bottom Line” on June 19, 1980 after only three rehearsals. Within three days we were headlining the Norway Kongsberg Jazz Festival in the company of the Johnny Griffin Quartet, the Nat Adderly Brotherhood and the George Coleman Revival Octet. The tour was marked by adventure; broken instruments, buses and feelings-even our bones suffered, but fortunately the music prevailed. There were nights when we played in tune, on time and musical Like a M.F .! The band was amazing to behold, living five of a total seven weeks in Europe. These were the nights we were blessed to have recorded. Spiritually these nights represent a high point in the vast and mighty continuing saga of the great Abdullah Ibn Buhaina and his eternal institution of musical grooming, the Jazz Messengers!
Special thanks to Kenny Kaplan, Greg Foster and Drew Lucas. – Time will tell, Robert Watson, New York City 1/10/81