The Message

This is an unusual edition of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers because it includes pianist Keith Jarrett and trumpeter Chuck Mangione (well before their respective solo careers took off), along with tenor saxophonist Frank Mitchell and bassist Reggie Workman, though this was the only commercial recording by this edition of the band. Mangione contributed several originals to the date and takes many strong solos. The influence of Bill Evans is readily apparent in several of Jarrett's brief solos, while Mitchell commands attention in the explosive romp through "Secret Love." Recorded live at the Lighthouse in Hermosa Beach, the sound quality of this reissue (originally issued by Limelight under the title Buttercorn Lady) is a bit muddy, probably due to tape deterioration…

The Stanley Clarke Band moniker goes back at least as far as 1985's electro-funk-inflected Find Out!, and picked up in earnest with 2010's eponymously titled The Stanley Clarke Band. The only real through-line, however, is virtuoso bass pioneer Clarke, who leads his ever-evolving bands through what are usually a stylistically varied set of songs that touch upon driving jazz-fusion, funky crossover jams, harmonically nuanced acoustic modal bop, and even forays into classical. It's a cross-pollinated vibe he championed on 2014's Up and one he returns to with conceptual gusto on 2018's expansive The Message. Joining him are pianist Beka Gochiashvili (who previously played Up), keyboardist Cameron Graves, and drummer Mike Mitchell.