Recorded in 1957 but not released until 1966, drummer Art Blakey's Tough! is a swinging hard bop date. Joining Blakey here is saxophone giant Jackie McLean, along with a stellar group of less-appreciated artists including trumpeter Bill Hardman, pianist Sam Dockery, and bassist Spanky DeBrest. While not as essential as some of Blakey's other Jazz Messengers releases, Tough! certainly holds its own. ~ Matt Collar