Arthur 'Art' Blakey was an American jazz drummer and bandleader who made a profound impact on the genre. He was a pioneer of the bebop style and became a central figure in the development of hard bop. Along with Horace Silver, he formed the Jazz Messengers, a group that became an incubator for young jazz talent for over three decades. Blakey's powerful and polyrhythmic drumming style influenced countless musicians and defined the sound of modern jazz.