Few jazz followers would think of trumpeter
Chuck Mangione and pianist
Keith Jarrett as former members of
Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, but in 1966, they both worked in the drummer's classic hard bop unit and the stint gave them needed exposure and helped the pair to develop their own individual voices. With tenor saxophonist
Frank Mitchell and bassist
Reggie Workman completing the quintet, this particular version of
The Jazz Messengers only had the opportunity to record this one excellent live LP (which is currently out of print) but proved to be a worthy successor to their more acclaimed predecessors. ~ Scott Yanow