ProJazz.net

Gypsy Folk Tales is an album by drummer Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers recorded in 1977 and released on the Roulette label.

“The 1977 version of The Jazz Messengers introduced two new voices to jazz (altoist Bobby Watson and the Russian trumpeter Valeri Ponomarev) in addition to featuring tenor saxophonist Dave Schnitter, veteran pianist Walter Davis and bassist Dennis Irwin. This Roulette LP includes six fairly recent originals in addition to a pair of numbers co-written by drummer Art Blakey with saxophonist Bob Mintzer. Davis’s “Gypsy Folk Tales” and “Jodi” are the best-known songs and the hard-bop oriented solos are consistently fresh.” – Scott Yanow/AllMusic.

Track listing:
“Jodi” (Walter Davis, Jr.) – 10:15
“Cami” (Walter Davis, Jr.) – 6:55
“Miwako” (Art Blakey, Bob Mintzer) – 4:27
“Gypsy Folk Tales” (Walter Davis, Jr.) – 7:36
“Time Will Tell” (Bobby Watson) – 6:58
“Ronnie’s a Dynamite Lady” – 7:54
“Hawkman” (Watson) – 10:30
“Malibu” (Blakey, Mintzer) – 4:42

Personnel:
Art Blakey – drums
Valery Ponomarev – trumpet
Bobby Watson – alto saxophone
David Schnitter – tenor saxophone
Walter Davis, Jr. – piano
Dennis Irwin – bass

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Released: 1977
Recorded: February 14-17 & 28 and March 1, 1977
Sound Ideas Studio A, New York City
Label: Roulette
SR 5008
Producer: Fred Bailin