Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers - The Big Beat

Tracklist Hide Credits

A1	The Chess Players Composed By – Wayne Shorter	9:30
A2	Sakeena's Vision Composed By – Wayne Shorter	6:05
A3	Politely Composed By – Bill Hardman	6:00
B1	Dat Dere Composed By – Bobby Timmons	8:50
B2	Lester Left Town Composed By – Wayne Shorter	6:30
B3	It's Only A Paper Moon Composed By – Harold ArlenLyrics By – Billy Rose, E.Y. Harburg	6:40

Companies, etc.

• Manufactured By – United Artists Records

Notes

Perhaps the best known and most loved of Art Blakey's works, The Big Beat is a testament to the creative progress of one of the best jazz drummers of all time. Now over 40 years old, The Big Beat is as thunderous as ever. Here, Blakey combines his rhythm with tenor saxophonist Wayne Shorter's brilliant composing to make what could only be termed a "structurally raw" album. Each track rips through bebop as quickly as Blakey ripped through drum heads. "Dat Dere" and "Lester Left Town" stand out as part of the true canons for hot jazz. Two alternate versions of "It's Only a Paper Moon" round out the album, both brimming with the fluid integrity of the song and the drive only Blakey could provide. As one of the few drummers to step out and lead, not just play backup, Blakey created a true jazz treasure in The Big Beat.

Other versions

Category	Artist	Title (Format)	Label	Category	Country	Year
BLP 4029	Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers	The Big Beat ‎(LP, Album, Mono)	Blue Note	BLP 4029	US	1960
CDP 7 46400 2	Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers	The Big Beat ‎(CD, Album, RE)	Blue Note	CDP 7 46400 2	US	1987
4BN 84029	Art Blakey And The Jazz Messengers*	The Big Beat ‎(Cass, Album, RE, RM, XDR)	Blue Note	4BN 84029	US	1985
BNJ 71052, BLP 4029	Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers	The Big Beat ‎(LP, Album, RE)	Blue Note, Blue Note	BNJ 71052, BLP 4029	Japan	1985
BST-84029	Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers	The Big Beat ‎(LP, Album, RE)	Blue Note	BST-84029	US	1971