Confession time: this was the very first Blue Note album that I ever acquired. And I still have it – autographed by the great man himself. Before you start sending in your emails supporting your personal favourites, for many, this is the quintessential Messengers album. Initially issued as two separate LPs it was later stretched into three vinyl discs by the Japanese licensee who rummaged through the tapes and came up with a limited edition freebee as part of a special promotion. I’ve got that too.

The line-up that Blakey propelled that evening included Kenny Dorham, Hank Mobley, Horace Silver and Doug Watkins. The Messengers are often associated with gung-ho workouts, here they also show a more sensitive side to their collective talents. No need to pick out individual tracks for discussion, just set aside time to enjoy a very special event.