Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers

Real Gone releases a 2-CD anthology of drummer extraordinaire Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers' late-'50s output - The Best of The Columbia & RCA/Vik Years (1956-1959).  The 17 tracks are a veritable trove of historic recordings from the group that's been called jazz music's greatest incubator.  There's material from Jazz Messengers (1956), Drum Suite, and Hard Bop; interpretations of Lerner and Loewe; Blakey's first recording of "A Night in Tunisia," which he'd record commercially eleven times in his storied career; plus a clutch of live recordings from the era.  The Best of The Columbia & RCA/Vik Years (1956-1959) was compiled by Grammy-winning jazz historian Richard Seidel (who also contributes liner notes), remastered by Maria Triana at Battery Studios, and illustrated with period photos of the group in a booklet designed by John Sellards.