ART BLAKEY — Indestructible (review)

ART BLAKEY — Indestructible album cover Album · 1965 · Hard Bop Buy this album from MMA partners
3/5 ·
Sean Trane
Of his 60’s albums, Indestructible is one my fave AB works, and I dare say that I’m not the only one to think so. Whether I place Blakey in the groundbreaking ladrs category is more up to debate, though. You’ll find some usual-suspects Jazz Messengers like Shorter, Walton, Morgan, Fuller and Workman, and it was recorded in the spring of 64 and produced by the Lyons and Van Gelder team for the Blue Note label.

Opening on the slightly-modal 10-mins+ The Egyptian piece with Waldon’s pensive piano, the debate soon veers to a brass and wood match, with Morgan, Fuller and Shorter trading solos. The riff-laden 8-mins Sortie is definitely bluesier, but Waldon’s piano is Tyner-ish and provides a slightly modal flavour to complete the A-side, in on of the finer Blue Note black wax face. On the less-exciting flipside, Khadjija is definitely more standard (especially the wind arrangements).

Ever since the late 70’s, this album has a bonus track in the form of the Shorter-penned It’s A Long Way Down, that was recorded during the same sessions, but left off for running time reasons, but it fits more the flipside’s standard mood more than the modal one. Too bad that the album didn’t persevere in its original direction, because it could’ve been a real gem.

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