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Late 1960's "a Division of Liberty Records" on Label Stereo Reissue of Classic 1960 Blue Note Release of Bandleader/Composer/Master Drummer Art Blakey Entitled at the Corner of the Jazz World Volume Two with Art Blakey & His Jazz Messengers, Produced by Alfred Lion, Recording by Rudy Van Gelder, Cover Design by Reid Miles, Liner Notes by Leonard Feather - "In the '60s, when  and  were defining the concept of a jazz avant-garde, few knowledgeable observers would have guessed that in another 30 years the music's mainstream would virtually bypass their innovations, in favor of the hard bop style that free jazz had apparently supplanted. As it turned out, many listeners who had come to love jazz as a sophisticated manifestation of popular music were unable to accept the extreme esotericism of the avant-garde; their tastes were rooted in the core elements of "swing" and "blues," characteristics found in abundance in the music of the Jazz Messengers, the quintessential hard bop ensemble led by drummer Art Blakey. In the '60s, '70s, and '80s, when artists on the cutting edge were attempting to transform the music, Blakey continued to play in more or less the same bag he had since the '40s, when his cohorts included the likes of , , and . By the '80s, the evolving mainstream consensus had reached a point of overwhelming approval in regard to hard bop: this is what jazz is, and Art Blakey -- as its longest-lived and most eloquent exponent -- was its master. The Jazz Messengers had always been an incubator for young talent. A list of the band's alumni is a who's who of straight-ahead jazz from the '50s on -- , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , and , to name several of the most well-known. In the '80s, precocious graduates of Blakey's School for Swing would continue to number among jazz's movers and shakers, foremost among them being trumpeter .  became the most visible symbol of the '80s jazz mainstream; through him, Blakey's conservative ideals came to dominate the public's perception of the music. At the time of his death in 1990, the Messenger aesthetic dominated jazz, and Blakey himself had arguably become the most influential jazz musician of the past 20 years. Blakey's first musical education came in the form of piano lessons; he was playing professionally as a seventh grader, leading his own commercial band. He switched to drums shortly thereafter, learning to play in the hard-swinging style of  and . In 1942, he played with pianist  in New York. He toured the South with 's band in 1943-1944. From there, he briefly led a Boston-based big band before joining 's new group, with which he would remain from 1944-1947. 's big band was the famous "cradle of modern jazz," and included (at different times) such major figures of the forthcoming bebop revolution as , , and . When 's group disbanded, Blakey started a rehearsal ensemble called the Seventeen Messengers. He also recorded with an octet, the first of his bands to be called the Jazz Messengers. In the early '50s, Blakey began an association with , a particularly likeminded pianist with whom he recorded several times. In 1955, they formed a group with  and , calling themselves "Horace Silver and the Jazz Messengers."  typified the growing hard bop movement -- hard, funky, and bluesy, the band emphasized the music's primal rhythmic and harmonic essence. A year later,  left the band, and Blakey became its leader. From that point, the Messengers were Blakey's primary vehicle, though he would continue to freelance in various contexts. Notable was , a 1963 Impulse record date with , , and ; a 1971-1972 world tour with "the Giants of Jazz," an all-star venture with , , , and ; and an epochal drum battle with , , and  at the 1964 Newport Jazz Festival. Blakey also frequently recorded as a sideman under the leadership of ex-. Blakey's influence as a bandleader could not have been nearly so great had he not been such a skilled instrumentalist. No drummer ever drove a band harder; none could generate more sheer momentum in the course of a tune; and probably no drummer had a lower boiling point -- Blakey started every performance full-bore and went from there. His accompaniment style was relentless, and woe to the young saxophonist who couldn't keep up, for Blakey would run him over like a fullback. Blakey differed from other bop drummers in that his style was almost wholly about the music's physical attributes. Where his contemporary  dealt extensively with the drummer's relationship to melody and timbre, for example, Blakey showed little interest in such matters. To him, jazz percussion wasn't about tone color; it was about rhythm -- first, last, and in between. Blakey's drum set was the engine that propelled the music. To the extent that he exhibited little conceptual development over the course of his long career, either as a player or as a bandleader, Blakey was limited. He was no visionary by any means. But Blakey did one thing exceedingly well, and he did it with genius, spirit, and generosity until the very end of his life." - "This is the first of two volumes featuring the oft-documented late-'50s/early-'60s incarnation of the Jazz Messengers -- with  (trumpet),  (tenor sax),  (piano), and  (bass). As always, the combo is led by the aggressive skins of Art Blakey (drums). Here all ears are tuned to the proverbial "jazz corner of the world," better known as Birdland, where the quintet serves up a healthy sampling of its concurrent catalog. Although the live recording suffers from a bit of distortion -- which appears to be on the master tape rather than being a manufacturing flaw -- the overall quality of the performance significantly downplays any and all audio anomalies. After a rousing introduction from Birdland's master of ceremonies -- the highly affable  -- the band introduces 's easy-boppin' and appropriately enough titled "The Opener" -- which is punctuated by some stirring interaction between  and . The syncopated blues changes that drive through 's own "What Know" reflect his abilities as the quintessential composer for these Jazz Messengers. He incorporates his solid swinging improvisational skills into an open and free exchange of sonic ideas, not only with  -- whose solos sound comparatively stilted at times -- but with the rock-solid rhythm section as well, which is led by 's sonic cues. The second half of the disc contains some of the most inspired sides to be found on either installment of Meet You at the Jazz Corner of the World. The melodic and sensitive rendition of "'Round About Midnight" ranks among the best cover versions of the  standard. Again,  and  seamlessly banter back and forth -- with the latter executing a fluidity that contrasts with 's angular responses. A spirited "The Breeze and I" concludes this edition, allowing  the opportunity to stretch out and motivate the exchange of musical ideas with solos that are well-placed and likewise sit comfortably in the context of this brass-driven combo. The sheer volume of releases by Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers -- especially this aggregate -- has obscured Meet You at the Jazz Corner of the World in the context of the plethora of similarly classic live platters. That said, both volumes are a welcome addition to the library of most any jazz lover." - Sensational Personnel for the Quintet Features the Legendary Art Blakey on Drums, the Great Lee Morgan on Trumpet, the Amazing Hank Mobley on Tenor Saxophone, the Brilliant Bobby Timmons on Piano and the Talented Jymie Merritt on Bass! - Selections on Side 1 Are Introduction by Pee-Wee Marquette, the Hank Mobley Penned Hipsippy Blues at 8 Minutes 40 Seconds, the Thelonious Monk Standard Justice & the Traditional the Theme - Tracks for Side 2 Consist of the Bernice Petkere Song Close Your Eyes at 10 Minutes 25 Seconds and Original Hank Mobley Composition Just Coolin' - Used Copy, Cover Very Good++, Record Very Good++ - Stereo Recording, Product Code BST-84015 - California Residents Add 10.25% Sales Tax - International S & H Extra -