I came across Art and the Messengers through Ted Goia's book How to Listen to Jazz. Goia praised the band for its swing and proposed this exercise. Listen for how often the Messengers miss notes, or one of the players falls out. What you'll notice is the ease with which the players are able to pick up where they left off, a sign of discipline and expertise. Bad jazz bands panic and fill, Goia says. Good bands mind the gaps.
This time around, I confess to being a little distracted while listening to this particular album. I had to run errands while listening. Certainly not ideal.