Act Blakey Baker's

The sound of Art Blakey and His Jazz Messengers is still in my ears this morning after their Sunday night appearance at Baker's, and it is a warm feeling.

Blakey is perhaps the ultimate in tasteful and tightly-coordinated jazz rhythm. The drum parts on all his songs are carefully orchestrated things of beauty, perfectly augmenting every other instrument with just the right texture and percussive color.

The legendary drummer looks to be in his 50's, but his age doesn't matter that much. His fire s usually kept on low, but it's there when he needs it, and he can play as much as two drummers and look so relaxed you have to keep watching to believe it.

Some 20 years younger, but in just about the same league as Blakey, is David Schnitter, the quiet, light-skinned master of the saxophone who already speaks the language of 50's jazz tenor with ease. He is also rapidly becoming a very self-confident entertainer in his own right, scat-singing and yodeling through "Georgia On My Mind," just one of the songs which spotlights his solid talent.

Blakey, Schnitter, Bill Hardman on trumpet, Mickey Tucker on piano, and Cameron Brown on bass-the new Jazz-give us the best of a great era of music in living color. Look for them to return this winter, and in the meantime watch for Grant Green at Baker's this week-end.