日本のジャズ文化に革命を起こした歴史的公演。幻のドキュメンタリー映画用に記録された初来日公演の音源が、奇跡の発掘!

モダン・ジャズの代表的ドラマー、アート・ブレイキー率いるジャズの名門バンド「アート・ブレイキー&ザ・ジャズ・メッセンジャーズ」の1961年の初来日ツアーの模様を収録した未発表ライヴ・アルバム。

リー・モーガン(tp)やウェイン・ショーター(ts)を擁した最強の布陣で、「モーニン」、「ブルース・マーチ」など代表的レパートリー満載の白熱のステージ。

初の本格的なモダン・ジャズ・グループの来日公演で、全国で空前のジャズ・ブームが巻き起こるきっかけとなった、日本音楽史においてもメモリアルなイベントでした。蕎麦屋の出前持ちが「モーニン」を口笛で吹きながら自転車を漕いでいたというエピソードが残っているほど、当時彼らの音楽は一般層にまで浸透し、現代に至る日本ジャズ文化の発展に大きく寄与しました。

本アルバムの音源は、来日ツアーを追いかけたドキュメンタリー映画『黒いさくれつ』用に記録されたものでしたが、権利の問題で映画がお蔵入りになってフィルムが破棄され、それ以降マスターテープの所在も長らく不明でした。2017年に映画スタッフの遺品からテープが発見され、数年間にわたるリサーチの末、米国ブルーノート・レコードから全世界リリースが実現!

CDブックレットには、ブルーノート・レコード社長のドン・ウォズよるウェイン・ショーターへのインタビューの他、当時を知るサックス奏者の渡辺貞夫氏や音楽評論家の湯川れい子氏、アート・ブレイキーの息子Takashi Blakeyのインタビューなどを掲載。

＜パーソネル＞ Art Blakey(ds) Lee Morgan(tp) Wayne Shorter(ts) Bobby Timmons(p) Jimmy Merritt(b)
★1961年1月14日、東京、日比谷公会堂にてライヴ録音

発売・販売元 提供資料 （2021/09/15）

This set is a previously unissued gig by one of the greatest lineups in the long history of Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers -- Blakey, drums; Bobby Timmons, piano; Wayne Shorter, saxophone; Lee Morgan, trumpet; Jymie Merrit, bass. First Flight to Tokyo: The Lost 1961 Recordings are drawn from the final shows of the bands first tour of Japan. They were professionally recorded on a Nagra tape recorder to serve as a soundtrack for a documentary film that was never completed. At some point over the decades, the original tapes were transferred to quarter-inch tape reels, cataloged, shelved, and sat some more -- they were never really "lost." The set commences with the drummers incendiary solo (the first of two) introducing a nearly 23-minute version of Charlie Parkers "Nows the Time." (Theres another, slightly shorter one included as well.) The track also offers a stellar, high-wire solo by Shorter. Morgan enters later, walking out the soul-blues to add ballast to the saxophonists attack. Timmons delivers one of his most lyrical solos here. The pianists "Moanin" follows and underscores his role as one of the fathers of soul-jazz. It swings and lopes, with Morgan reprising the phrases from the studio version, plus a rare, driving break from Merritt. Shorters solo delves into edgy modalism. Benny Golsons "Blues March" is delivered with requisite groove and sass here thanks in no small part to Morgans swaggering yet playful solo. "Dat Dere," another signature composition by Timmons, finds the two-horn lyric theme setting the pace as Shorter delivers the first solo, moaning, swooping, and shouting through the horn. Morgan tempers his burn with a beautifully parsed solo drenched in blue. Timmons answers with an elegant yet meaty break filled with augmented chords and phrases. Thelonious Monks "Round About Midnight" has limited solo opportunities for Timmons and Shorter, but its a graceful vehicle for Morgan, with his muted horn offering tender emotional resonance at every turn. The band plays their oft-recorded version of Dizzy Gillespies "A Night in Tunisia" with requisite physicality and verve. There are smoking codas and solos from Shorter and Morgan, while Timmons muscular comping pushes the horns hard as Merritt and Blakey swing hard. During the saxophonists solo, the leader enthusiastically exhorts him to "whip it," urging the entire band to play harder and faster. The booklet is copiously illustrated and annotated. It contains loads of rare photos, as well as interviews with Lou Donaldson, Wayne Shorter, Sadao Watanabe, and drummers Billy Hart, Louis Hayes, and Cindy Blackman Santana. It also contains a finely detailed, authoritative liner essay by Bob Blumenthal. First Flight to Tokyo: The Lost 1961 Recordings is an essential listen for hardcore Jazz Messengers fans. Newcomers might be better served by checking out 1954s A Night at Birdland or 1956s At the Cafe Bohemia first. That said, this set does prove yet again that this band always showed up to play with intensity as well as virtuosity. ~ Thom Jurek

Rovi