A Night at Birdland

A Night at Birdland
A Night at Birdland
	Volume 1 (LP)
Live album by Art Blakey
Released	August 1956 (Volume 1); December 1956 (Volume 2)
Recorded	February 21, 1954
Venue	Birdland, NYC
Genre	Jazz
Length	37:37 (Vol. 1); 32:31 (Vol. 2)
Label	Blue Note; BLP 1521 (Vol. 1); BLP 1522 (Vol. 2)
Producer	Alfred Lion
Art Blakey chronology
A Night at Birdland
	Volume 2 (LP)
A Night at Birdland
A Night at Birdland (CD)
	Volume 2 (CD)

A Night at Birdland, Vols. 1 & 2 are a pair of separate but related live albums by the Art Blakey Quintet. They were recorded at the Birdland jazz club on February 21, 1954 and released on Blue Note in 1956. The performance was originally spread out over three 10" LPs as A Night at Birdland Vols. 1–3 (1954).^[2]

Release history

Volumes 1 and 2 were issued on CD in 1987 with new artwork based on the original ten-inches and two additional tracks each: an alternate take of "Wee-Dot" and an improvisational piece titled "Blues" on Volume 1, and "The Way You Look Tonight" and "Lou's Blues" on Volume 2—issued as side's one and two of the 12" A Night at Birdland, Vol. 3 released by Toshiba three years previously in 1984—the first three of which were previously released in 1975 on Live Messengers (BN-LA473-J2), a 2 LP compilation.

The "RVG Editions" were released on CD in 2001, remastered by Rudy Van Gelder with the tracks in a different order and restoring the original album covers from Volumes 1 & 2 of the 10"s.^[3]^[2]

The concert was also included in The Complete Blue Note and Pacific Jazz Recordings of Clifford Brown box set.

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic (Vol. 1)	link
AllMusic (Vol. 2)	link
Penguin Guide to Jazz (Vol. 1)	^[4]
Penguin Guide to Jazz (Vol. 2)	^[4]
The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide (Vol. 1)	^[5]
The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide (Vol. 2)	^[5]
Encyclopedia of Popular Music (Vol. 1)	^[6]
Encyclopedia of Popular Music (Vol. 2)	^[6]
Tom Hull (Vol. 1)	A−^[7]
Tom Hull (Vol. 2)	A−^[7]

The Penguin Guide to Jazz selected both albums as part of their "core collection."^[4]

A reviewer for All About Jazz said simply that "Blakey and company had clicked that night at Birdland."^[8]

AllMusic reviewer Scott Yanow stated that the first album "launches an initial breakthrough for Blakey and modern jazz in general, and defines the way jazz music could be heard for decades thereafter."^[9] Regarding the second album, Yanow wrote: "there are extraordinary high points, along with low points that either result from tiredness or a lack or preparation."^[10]

Bob Blumenthal, renowned hard-bop writer, refers to this as a historical jazz milestone.^[11]

Track listing

A Night at Birdland, Volume 1

Side 1
No.	Title	Music	Original release	Length
1.	"Announcement by Pee Wee Marquette"		A Night at Birdland, Vol. 1	0:58
2.	"Split Kick"	Horace Silver	A Night at Birdland, Vol. 1	8:44
3.	"Once in a While"	Bud Green Michael Edwards	A Night at Birdland, Vol. 1	5:18
4.	"Quicksilver"	Horace Silver	A Night at Birdland, Vol. 1	6:58

Side 2
No.	Title	Music	Original release	Length
1.	"A Night in Tunisia"	Dizzy Gillespie Frank Paparelli	A Night at Birdland, Vol. 2	9:20
2.	"Mayreh"	Horace Silver	A Night at Birdland, Vol. 2	6:19
Total length:				37:37

A Night at Birdland, Volume 2

Side 1
No.	Title	Music	Original release	Length
1.	"Wee Dot"	J.J. Johnson Leo Parker	A Night at Birdland, Vol. 2	7:19
2.	"If I Had You"	Jimmy Campbell and Reg Connelly Ted Shapiro	A Night at Birdland, Vol. 3	3:31
3.	"Quicksilver [alternate master]"	Horace Silver	previously unreleased	8:46

Side 2
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Original releaase	Length
1.	"Now's the Time"	Charlie Parker	A Night at Birdland, Vol. 3	9:02
2.	"Confirmation"	Parker	A Night at Birdland, Vol. 3	9:12
Total length:				32:31

CD reissues

1987 Edition

*A Night at Birdland, Volume 1*
No.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Length
1.	"Announcement by Pee Wee Marquette"			0:58
2.	"Split Kick"		Horace Silver	8:44
3.	"Once in a While"	Bud Green	Michael Edwards	5:18
4.	"Quicksilver"		Horace Silver	6:58
5.	"Wee-Dot (alternate take)" (previously released on Live Messengers [BN-LA473-J2])		J.J. Johnson, Leo Parker	6:53
6.	"Blues (Improvisation)" (previously released on Live Messengers [BN-LA473-J2])		Traditional	8:37
7.	"A Night in Tunisia"		Dizzy Gillespie, Frank Paparelli	9:20
8.	"Mayreh"		Horace Silver	6:19
Total length:				53:07

*A Night at Birdland, Volume 2*
No.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Length
1.	"Wee Dot"		J.J. Johnson, Leo Parker	7:19
2.	"If I Had You"	Jimmy Campbell and Reg Connelly	Ted Shapiro	3:31
3.	"Quicksilver [alternate master]"		Horace Silver	8:46
4.	"The Way You Look Tonight" (previously released on Live Messengers [BN-LA473-J2])	Dorothy Fields	Jerome Kern	9:59
5.	"Lou's Blues" (previously released on A Night at Birdland Vol. 3 [Toshiba (Japan), BNJ-61002])		Lou Donaldson	3:58
6.	"Now's the Time"		Charlie Parker	9:02
7.	"Confirmation"		Charlie Parker	9:12

2001 RVG Edition

Volume 1

*A Night at Birdland, Volume 1*
No.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Length
1.	"Announcement by Pee Wee Marquette"			0:58
2.	"Split Kick"		Horace Silver	8:44
3.	"Once in a While"	Bud Green	Michael Edwards	5:18
4.	"Quicksilver"		Horace Silver	6:58
5.	"A Night in Tunisia"		Dizzy Gillespie, Frank Paparelli	9:20
6.	"Mayreh"		Horace Silver	6:19
7.	"Wee-Dot (alternate take)" (previously released on Live Messengers [BN-LA473-J2])		J.J. Johnson, Leo Parker	6:53
8.	"Blues (Improvisation)" (previously released on Live Messengers [BN-LA473-J2])		Traditional	8:37
Total length:				53:07

Volume 2

*A Night at Birdland, Volume 2*
No.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Length
1.	"Wee Dot"		J.J. Johnson, Leo Parker	7:19
2.	"If I Had You"	Jimmy Campbell and Reg Connelly	Ted Shapiro	3:31
3.	"Quicksilver [alternate master]"		Horace Silver	8:46
4.	"Now's the Time"		Charlie Parker	9:02
5.	"Confirmation"		Charlie Parker	9:12
6.	"The Way You Look Tonight" (previously released on Live Messengers [BN-LA473-J2])	Dorothy Fields	Jerome Kern	9:59
7.	"Lou's Blues" (previously released on A Night at Birdland Vol. 3 [Toshiba (Japan), BNJ-61002])		Lou Donaldson	3:58

Personnel

Art Blakey Quintet

Clifford Brown – trumpet
Lou Donaldson – alto saxophone
Horace Silver – piano
Curley Russell – bass
Art Blakey – drums

Technical personnel

Original

Alfred Lion – producer
Rudy Van Gelder – recording engineer, mastering
Francis Wolff – photography
Reid Miles, John Hermansader – cover design
Bob Bluementhal, Leonard Feather – liner notes

Reissue

Michael Cuscuna – producer
Rudy Van Gelder – 2001 remaster
Ron McMaster – digital transfers

References

^ Billboard Jan 5, 1957
^ ^a ^b A Night at Birdland at Discogs (list of releases)
^ A Night at Birdland at Discogs (list of releases)
^ ^a ^b ^c Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian (2006). The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings. Penguin Books. p. 124.
^ ^a ^b Swenson, J., ed. (1985). The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide. USA: Random House/Rolling Stone. pp. 25. ISBN 0-394-72643-X.
^ ^a ^b Larkin, Colin (2007). Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4th ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0195313734.
^ ^a ^b Hull, Tom (n.d.). "Jazz (1940–50s) (Reference)". tomhull.com. Retrieved March 4, 2020.
^ Michael Fortuna (September 2001). "A Night At Birdland, Vols. 1 and 2". Retrieved 2006-12-31.
^ Scott Yanow. "A Night at Birdland, Vol. 1". AllMusic. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
^ Scott Yanow. "A Night at Birdland, Vol. 2". AllMusic. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
^ Records, Mosaic (2021-06-09). "Art Blakey & Jazz Messengers A Night At Birdland -". Mosaic Records - Home for Jazz fans!. Retrieved 2021-07-21.

External links

A Night at Birdland Vol. 2 at AllMusic

[1] Billboard Jan 5, 1957

[discogs_master|176730-2] A Night at Birdland at Discogs (list of releases)

[3] A Night at Birdland at Discogs (list of releases)

[penguin-4] Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian (2006). The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings. Penguin Books. p. 124.

[RSJRG-5] Swenson, J., ed. (1985). The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide. USA: Random House/Rolling Stone. pp. 25. ISBN 0-394-72643-X.

[epm-6] Larkin, Colin (2007). Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4th ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0195313734.

[th-7] Hull, Tom (n.d.). "Jazz (1940–50s) (Reference)". tomhull.com. Retrieved March 4, 2020.

[8] Michael Fortuna (September 2001). "A Night At Birdland, Vols. 1 and 2". Retrieved 2006-12-31.

[9] Scott Yanow. "A Night at Birdland, Vol. 1". AllMusic. Retrieved 2023-11-28.

[10] Scott Yanow. "A Night at Birdland, Vol. 2". AllMusic. Retrieved 2023-11-28.

[11] Records, Mosaic (2021-06-09). "Art Blakey & Jazz Messengers A Night At Birdland -". Mosaic Records - Home for Jazz fans!. Retrieved 2021-07-21.

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v t e Clifford Brown
Years given are for the recording(s), years in square brackets refer to the listed 12" LP/CD release.
Albums as leader	Memorial Album (Blue Note, 1953 [1956]) Memorial (Prestige, 1953 [1956]) Arranged by Montrose (Jack Montrose, 1954)/Jazz Immortal ([1956]) Jam Session (with Clark Terry & Maynard Ferguson, 1954)
Co-led/with Max Roach	Best Coast Jazz (1954) Clifford Brown All Stars (1954) Clifford Brown & Max Roach (1954) Brown and Roach Incorporated (1954) Daahoud (1954) Clifford Brown with Strings (1955) Study in Brown (1955) Clifford Brown and Max Roach at Basin Street (1956) Sonny Rollins Plus 4 (CB/MRQ, 1956)
Sideman with others	A Night at Birdland Vol. 1 (Art Blakey, 1954) A Night at Birdland Vol. 2 (Art Blakey, 1954) A Night at Birdland Vol. 3 (Art Blakey, 1954) Dinah Jams (Dinah Washington, 1954) Helen Merrill (1954) Sarah Vaughan (1954)
Compilations	Alone Together: The Best of the Mercury Years (with Max Roach, [1995])

v t e Horace Silver
Years indicated are for the recording(s), not first release.
Blue Note albums	New Faces New Sounds (Introducing the Horace Silver Trio) (1952)/Horace Silver Trio and Art Blakey-Sabu (1952–53) Horace Silver and the Jazz Messengers (1954–55) 6 Pieces of Silver (1956–58) The Stylings of Silver (1957) Further Explorations (1958) Live at Newport '58 (1958) Finger Poppin' with the Horace Silver Quintet (1959) Blowin' the Blues Away (1959) Horace-Scope (1960) Doin' the Thing (1961) The Tokyo Blues (1962) Silver's Serenade (1963) Song for My Father (1963–64) The Cape Verdean Blues (1965) The Jody Grind (1966) Serenade to a Soul Sister (1968) You Gotta Take a Little Love (1969) That Healin' Feelin', The United States of Mind, Phase 1 (1970) Total Response, The United States of Mind, Phase 2 (1970–71) All, The United States of Mind, Phase 3 (1972) The United States of Mind (compilation of the 3 'Phase' albums, 1970–72) In Pursuit of the 27th Man (1972) Silver 'n Brass (1975) Silver 'n Wood (1975–76) Silver 'n Voices (1976) Silver 'n Percussion (1977) Silver 'n Strings Play the Music of the Spheres (1978–79)
Albums released on other labels	Silver's Blue (1956) Live 1964 (1964) Guides to Growing Up (1981) Spiritualizing the Senses (1983) There's No Need to Struggle (1983) The Continuity of Spirit (1985) Music to Ease Your Disease (1988) Rockin' with Rachmaninoff (1991) It's Got to Be Funky (1993) Pencil Packin' Papa (1994) The Hardbop Grandpop (1996) A Prescription for the Blues (1997) Jazz Has a Sense of Humor (1998)
Art Blakey/The Jazz Messengers	A Night at Birdland Vol. 1 (1954) A Night at Birdland Vol. 2 (1954) A Night at Birdland Vol. 3 (1954) At the Cafe Bohemia, Vol. 1 (1955) At the Cafe Bohemia, Vol. 2 (1955) The Jazz Messengers (1956) The Cool Voice of Rita Reys (1956) Originally (1956)
With others	Introducing Nat Adderley (1955) Love and Peace: A Tribute to Horace Silver (Dee Dee Bridgewater, 1994) Byrd's Eye View (Donald Byrd, 1955) Whims of Chambers (Paul Chambers, 1956) Bohemia After Dark (Kenny Clarke, 1955) Al Cohn's Tones (Al Cohn, 1950) Miles Davis, Volume 3 (1954) Miles Davis Quartet/Blue Haze/Miles Davis Quintet/ Miles Davis All-Star Sextet/Walkin' (1953/54) Miles Davis with Sonny Rollins/Bags' Groove (1954) Quartet/Quintet/Sextet (Lou Donaldson, 1952) Afro-Cuban (Kenny Dorham, 1955) The Art Farmer Septet (1953–54) When Farmer Met Gryce (Art Farmer/Gigi Gryce, 1955) The Complete Roost Recordings (Stan Getz, 1950–51) Nica's Tempo (Gigi Gryce, 1955) Disorder at the Border (Coleman Hawkins, 1952) Milt Jackson Quartet (1955) Plenty, Plenty Soul (Milt Jackson, 1957) The Eminent Jay Jay Johnson Volume 2 (J.J. Johnson, 1955) Blowing in from Chicago (Clifford Jordan & John Gilmore, 1957) Hank Mobley Quartet (1955) Hank Mobley Sextet (1956) Hank Mobley and His All Stars (1957) Hank Mobley Quintet (1957) J. R. Monterose (1956) Lee Morgan Indeed! (1956) Lee Morgan Sextet (1956) Sonny Rollins, Vol. 2 (1957) Clark Terry (1955)
Selected singles	"Opus de Funk" (1953) "The Preacher"/"Doodlin'" (1955/54) "Señor Blues" (1956) "Sister Sadie" (1959) "Nica's Dream" (1960) "Song for My Father" (1964)
Discography