Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers - Mosaic (1961/2015) [Hi-Res]

Not only is the group on Mosaic arguably the greatest version of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, but it is one of the finest bands of all time in any type of music. Freddie Hubbard had just joined the Jazz Messengers while Curtis Fuller had left the Jazztet for the opportunity to play with the powerhouse ensemble. With the frequently blazing tenor playing of Wayne Shorter, Cedar Walton, Jymie Merritt and the explosive Blakey, this was not a band for lightweights. Not only did the Jazz Messengers have five major soloists but Hubbard, Shorter, Walton and Fuller were inventive composers. On 1961's Mosaic, each of those four masters contribute at least one song apiece. Such unforgettable numbers as Fuller's haunting "Arabia," Shorter's "Children Of The Night" and Hubbard's "Crisis," along with the exciting and very individual solos, make Mosaic into a superb effort that ranks as one of the most vial recordings of the era.
A magnificent album by the most explosive edition of the Jazz Messengers with Freddie Hubbard, Wayne Shorter, Curtis Fuller, Cedar Walton, and Jymie Merritt. The originals include Walton’s intricate title tune played with fire and brilliance, Shorter’s “Children of the Night,” Fuller’s “Arabia,” and Hubbard’s “Crisis” and “Down Under.” One of the most memorable records of an amazing era.