Effective period / Period of releases: 1955 - 2021

Members: Carlos Garnett, Donald Byrd, Horace Silver, Lee Morgan, Art Blakey, Wayne Shorter, Freddie Hubbard, Barney Wilen, Donald Harrison, Robin Eubanks, Stanley Clarke, Chuck Mangione, Benny Green, Javon Jackson, Jackie McLean, Ray Mantilla, Ramon Morris, Hank Mobley, Cedar Walton, Reggie Workman, Keith Jarrett, Benny Golson, Johnny Griffin, J.J. Johnson, John Gilmore, Randy Brecker, Doug Watkins, Kenny Dorham, George Cables, Woody Shaw, Reggie Johnson, Curtis Fuller, Nat Bettis, Bobby Timmons, Jymie Merritt, Lucky Thompson, Mickey Tucker, Richard Landrum, Charles Fambrough, Mulgrew Miller, Terence Blanchard, Lonnie Plaxico, Jean Toussaint, Sonny Morgan, Brian Lynch, Billy Pierce, Bobby Watson (2), John Hicks, Frank Lacy, Dennis Irwin, Peter Washington, Sam Dockery, Bill Hardman, Spanky DeBrest, Cameron Brown, David Schnitter, Walter Davis Jr., James Williams (2), Donald Brown, Albert Dailey, Frank Mitchell, Philip Harper, Essiet Essiet, Mickey Bass, Carter Jefferson, Victor Sproles, Tim Williams (4), Geoff Keezer, Emanuel Boyd, Steve Davis (7), Ronnie Mathews, Emmanuel Abdul-Rahim, Buddy Terry, Jan Arnet, Yoshio Suzuki, Lawrence Evans, Valery Ponomarev, Ladjl Camara, David Schmitter

Archetypal hard-bop group of the late 1950s, most date their origin to 1954 or '55 when the first recordings credited to the band appeared.
Playing a driving, aggressive extension of bop with pronounced blues roots, the group continued until Blakey's death in 1990.
The name Jazz Messengers had been used by Art Blakey earlier, but when Horace Silver and Blakey began working together in the early 1950's the name had been dormant several years. The Jazz Messengers formed as a collective, nominally led by Silver or Blakey. Blakey credited Silver with reviving the Messengers name for the group. The original lineup of Blakey, Silver, Hank Mobley, & Kenny Dorham, was relatively shortlived. By late 1956 Art Blakey was the remaining original member.
Over the years the Jazz Messengers served as a springboard for young jazz musicians, a proving ground for young jazz talent.