Art Blakey

From the late 1940s until his death in 1990 Pittsburgh-born drummer Art Blakey was one of the most respected and imitated drum stylists in the world. Not only was he versatile enough to work with musicians as disparate as bluesy Kenny Burrell and quirky Thelonious Monk, but his band the Jazz Messengers virtaully defined hard bop, and created its stars, from its birth in 1955 to Blakey's demise.

Copies of this photo, along with other vintage and current Susan O'Connor prints, are available from www.ctsimages.com .