There are rare times on particularly special live recordings where one can truly feel the excitement of brilliant musicians creating new music. It is as if the musicians are not only one with the audience in the club but with those lucky enough to experience the music years later on the record. At The Café Bohemia, Vol. 2, which features the original version of the Jazz Messengers, is one of those times.

Not only is the sound quality superb, but Kenny Dorham, Hank Mobley, Horace Silver, Doug Watkins and Art Blakey are very inspired by the music, the audience, and the thrill of playing with each other. Whether jamming the blues on "Sportin' Crowd," digging deep into their own souls on "Like Someone In Love," or creating intense and passionate Afro-Cuban jazz on Mobley's "Avila and Tequila," this is music for the ages. Fans of hard bop, the Blue Note label, and straight ahead jazz in general will simply have to own this.

Like all Music Matters Jazz releases, this audiophile vinyl reissue is mastered from the original analog tape and pressed on 180g virgin vinyl at RTI in Camarillo, CA. The highest quality gatefold cover features original session photography on the inside.

See more Art Blakey records here.