The Jazz Legacy Project: Art Blakey, The Father of Modern Jazz

A happy accident left Art Blakey and Horace Silver alone in a recording studio. What came out was the beginnings of the Hard Bop era. What followed was a band – The Jazz Messengers – that would serve as a school for over 20 of the greatest jazz musicians of all time.

The Jazz Legacy Project Series

What is it?

Each program is roughly 90 minutes, with the goal of bringing the casual jazz listener inside the minds and music of the most influential and interesting American musicians of all time.  The life and music of the artist/composer is entertainingly narrated by the drummer, Mr. Justin Varnes, and seminal jazz pieces are played to illuminate the narration.  These are NOT tribute concerts in the sense that the musicians are trying to recreate the original performances, but instead to celebrate the essence and accomplishments of the particular artist.

Who is it?

The Jazz Legacy Project:
Drummer and Narrator:  Justin Varnes
Pianist/ Keyboardist:  Louis Heriveaux
Bassist:  Kevin Smith
Saxophonist:  John Sandfort