Can someone give me more information about Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers? [View all]

I am doing an art project that will include the art of album covers and his cover "The Freedom Riders" is one of the greats, IMO. I know nothing about his music, however, so I am going to Youtube some of the songs I see on this album. Specifically, I am trying to find what Nat Hentoff wrote about it. I used to read his reviews in the Village Voice.

Here is the album cover: