Douglas Watkins was an American jazz double bassist. He was best known for being an accompanist to various hard bop artists in the Detroit area, including Donald Byrd and Jackie McLean.
The Jazz Messengers is a 1956 album by the Jazz Messengers, released by Columbia Records. It was the last recording by the Jazz Messengers lineup featuring pianist Horace Silver.
Horace Silver and the Jazz Messengers is a 1956 repackage of 1954 and 1955 releases by jazz pianist Horace Silver with drummer Art Blakey as well as Hank Mobley on saxophone, Kenny Dorham on trumpet, and Doug Watkins on bass. By the time of this repackage, this quintet had named themselves the Jazz Messengers, and the band name on the re-release reflected that. These recordings helped establish the hard bop style. Scott Yanow on Allmusic describes it as "a true classic". Originally released as an LP, the album has subsequently been reissued on CD several times.
Mobley's Message is an album by jazz saxophonist Hank Mobley, released on the Prestige label in 1957. It was recorded on July 20, 1956 and features performances by Mobley, Donald Byrd, Barry Harris, Doug Watkins and Art Taylor, with Jackie McLean guesting on one track.
Jazz Message #2 is an album by jazz saxophonist Hank Mobley released on the Savoy label in 1957. It was recorded on July 23 & November 7, 1956 and features performances by Mobley, Donald Byrd, Lee Morgan, Hank Jones, Doug Watkins Barry Harris, Kenny Clarke and Art Taylor.
Silver's Blue is a studio album by American jazz pianist Horace Silver recorded for the Epic label in 1956 featuring performances by Silver with Joe Gordon, Hank Mobley, Doug Watkins, and Kenny Clarke and another session with Donald Byrd and Art Taylor replacing Gordon and Clarke. Silver, Mobley, Watkins, and Byrd all had recently left The Jazz Messengers. These were Silver's first sessions as a leader after leaving the Messengers.
My Conception is an album by jazz pianist Sonny Clark, recorded for the Blue Note label and performed by Clark with Donald Byrd, Hank Mobley, Paul Chambers, and Art Blakey. It was originally released in 1979 in Japan, as GXF 3056, featuring six tracks recorded in 1959 including an alternate take of "Royal Flush", appeared on Cool Struttin'. The 2000 limited CD reissue also comprised the three additional tracks originally recorded for Sonny Clark Quintets, an album which never saw the light of the day until being released later only in Japan.
Mustang! is an album by American trumpeter Donald Byrd featuring performances by Byrd with Sonny Red, Hank Mobley, McCoy Tyner, Walter Booker, and Freddie Waits recorded in 1966 and released on the Blue Note label in 1967 as BLP 4238. The CD reissue included two bonus tracks recorded in 1964.
A Date with Jimmy Smith Volume One is an album by American jazz organist Jimmy Smith featuring performances recorded in 1957 and released on the Blue Note label.
At the Jazz Corner of the World is a two-volume live album by American jazz drummer Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, featuring performances recorded in 1959 at Birdland and released on the Blue Note label. The album was originally issued as 12-inch LPs in two volumes and later re-released as a two-CD set.
This Is New is an album by pianist Kenny Drew recorded in 1957 and released on the Riverside label.
Farmer's Market is an album by trumpeter Art Farmer, featuring performances recorded in 1956 and released on the New Jazz label.
Byrd's Eye View is an album by trumpeter Donald Byrd recorded in 1955 and originally released on Tom Wilson's Transition label. The album was later re-released as part of the compilation CD set The Transition Sessions on the Blue Note label.
Child's Dance is an album by drummer Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers recorded in 1972 and released on the Prestige label.
Drum Suite is an album by drummer Art Blakey with The Jazz Messengers and the Art Blakey Percussion Ensemble, recorded in late 1956 and early 1957 and originally released on the Columbia label. The 2005 CD reissue added three tracks from a June 1956 session, two of them previously released on Originally in 1982.
Art Blakey Big Band is an album by drummer Art Blakey recorded in late 1957 and originally released on the Bethlehem label. It differs from typical Art Blakey releases as his regular quintet was expanded to form a big band for these arrangements.
Backgammon is an album by drummer Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers recorded in 1976 and released on the Roulette label.
Album of the Year is an album by drummer Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers recorded in 1981 in Paris and released on the Dutch Timeless label. A 2015 re-issue on the Japanese "Solid Records" label offers two additional tracks recorded in 1982 with a different line up including Terrence Blanchard, Donald Harrison and Johnny O'Neal.
I Get a Kick Out of Bu is an album by drummer Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers recorded in Italy in 1988 and released on the Soul Note label.
The Cool Voice of Rita Reys is the debut album by Dutch jazz singer Rita Reys which features sessions recorded with bands led by drummers Wessel Ilcken and Art Blakey divided over each side of the original LP which was released on the Dutch Philips and US Columbia labels.
