A Night in Tunisia
Studio album by Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers
Released	Mid February 1958 [1]
Recorded	April 2 & 8, 1957, NYC
Genre	Hard bop
Label	Vik
Producer	Bob Rolontz
Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers chronology
Hard Drive (1957) A Night in Tunisia (1958) Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers with Thelonious Monk (1958)

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AllMusic	[2]

A Night in Tunisia is a 1958 jazz album by Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers, released by the RCA Victor subsidiary label Vik. ^[3] It features the only recorded instances of saxophonists Jackie McLean and Johnny Griffin playing together. ^[4]

The album's original five tracks were augmented by up to three alternative takes on CD reissues. ^[2] The album was also reissued under the title Theory of Art, with two nonet tracks – "A Night at Tony's" and "Social Call" – added. ^{[5] [6]}

Track listing

A Night in Tunisia CD

1. " A Night in Tunisia" ( Dizzy Gillespie, Frank Paparelli) – 12:55
2. "Off the Wall" ( Johnny Griffin) – 7:16
3. "Theory of Art" ( Bill Hardman) – 9:46
4. "Couldn't It Be You?" ( Art Blakey, Jackie McLean) – 8:12
5. "Evans" ( Sonny Rollins) – 6:30
6. "A Night in Tunisia" (Gillespie, Paparelli) – 12:30 Bonus track on CD re-issue.
7. "Off the Wall" (Griffin) – 7:21 Bonus track on CD re-issue.
8. "Theory of Art" (Hardman) – 10:14 Bonus track on CD re-issue.

Theory of Art CD

First five tracks as A Night in Tunisia, above.

6. "A Night at Tony's" ( Gigi Gryce)
7. "Social Call" (Gryce, Jon Hendricks)

Personnel

A Night in Tunisia

• Art Blakey – drums
• Bill Hardman – trumpet
• Johnny Griffin – tenor sax
• Jackie McLean (listed as Ferris Benda/Ferris Bender on the cover) – alto sax
• Sam Dockery – piano
• Spanky DeBrest – bass

Theory of Art

• Art Blakey – drums
• Bill Hardman – trumpet
• Lee Morgan – trumpet
• Melba Liston – trombone
• Cecil Payne – baritone sax
• Johnny Griffin – tenor sax
• Sahib Shihab – alto sax
• Wynton Kelly – piano
• Spanky DeBrest – bass

Sources: ^{[4] [6]}

References