Art Blakey Big Band

Art Blakey Big Band (also called Art Blakey's Big Band and Art Blakey and his Drivin' Big Band) is an album by drummer Art Blakey recorded in late 1957 and originally released on the Bethlehem label.

Reception
Allmusic awarded the album 2½ stars stating "Throughout his long career as a bandleader, drummer Art Blakey very rarely played with big bands. This Bethlehem date was a one-shot affair, an opportunity for his powerful drumming to be heard propelling a 15-piece orchestra through a set of mostly new material".

Track listing

 * 1) "Midriff" (Gerald Valentine) - 3:17
 * 2) "Ain't Life Grand" (Al Cohn) - 3:21
 * 3) "Tippin'" (Donald Byrd) - 6:23
 * 4) "Pristine" (John Coltrane) - 5:35
 * 5) "El Toro Valiente" (Charles Gambel, Chiefy Salaam) - 2:43
 * 6) "The Kiss of No Return" (Gambel, Salaam) - 5:37
 * 7) "Late Date" (Melba Liston) - 3:33
 * 8) "The Outer World" (Cohn) - 4:06

Personnel

 * Art Blakey - drums
 * Donald Byrd, Ray Copeland (tracks 1, 2 & 5-8), Bill Hardman (tracks 1, 2 & 5-8), Idrees Sulieman (tracks 1, 2 & 5-8) - trumpet
 * Frank Rehak, Jimmy Cleveland, Melba Liston - trombone (tracks 1, 2 & 5-8)
 * Bill Graham, Sahib Shihab - alto saxophone (tracks 1, 2 & 5-8)
 * Al Cohn (tracks 1, 2 & 5-8), John Coltrane - tenor saxophone
 * Bill Slapin - baritone saxophone (tracks 1, 2 & 5-8)
 * Walter Bishop, Jr. - piano
 * Wendell Marshall - bass