![]() ![]() In 1948, he visited Africa where he learned polyrhythmic drumming and was introduced to Islam, taking the name Abdullah Ibn Buhaina. When Eckstein disbanded his group in 1947, Blakey organized the Seventeen Messengers, a rehearsal band and recorded with an octet called the Jazz Messengers, the first of his many groups bearing this name. Then as a member of Billy Eckstine's band, he played with the likes of Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie and Sarah Vaughan. in 1939, he joined and toured with Fletcher Henderson for 3 years, followed by one year gigging at Bostons' Tic Toc club. Returning to Pittsburgh in 1937, he formed his own band, backing pianist Mary Lou Williams. This served as good fortune and young drummer Blakey came under the tutelage of legendary drummer and bandleader Chick Webb, serving as his valet. This incident was apparently at the gunpoint of the nightclubs' owner, as Blakey later on often recalled. In the early 1930's, while gigging at the Democratic Club in Pittsburgh, Arts' piano career came to an abrupt end when he was ordered onto the drums to make way for pianist Erroll Garner. Art Blakey (born October 11, 1919, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA - died October 16, 1990, New York City, New York, USA) was an American jazz drummer, composer and bandleader, best remembered as founder and 35 year leader of The Jazz Messengers.īlakey was the foster son in a Seventh Day Adventist Family, learning the piano as he learned the Bible, mastering both at an early age. ![]()
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