The Art Blakey Quintet was a jazz group (consisting of five members) led by legendary hard bop drummer Art Blakey. They are particularly famous for their "A Night in Birdland" series of recordings in the mid-1950s, and are a group that led the golden age of hard bop, leaving behind many memorable performances.Important early members included Clifford Brown (trumpet), Lou Donaldson (saxophone), Horace Silver (piano), and Curly Russell (bass).