Ping Pong is a high-energy hard bop tune by Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers, composed by Wayne Shorter. It was recorded on February 18, 1961, with Lee Morgan on trumpet, Wayne Shorter on tenor sax, Bobby Timmons on piano, Jymie Merritt on bass, and Art Blakey on drums. The piece is famous for a drum and bass driven vamp that mimics the ping pong sound, giving the tune its name. It was later released on the 1963 album Ugetsu, and has since appeared on various Blue Note reissues and Wayne Shorter compilations. The track showcases Shorter's arranging and Blakey's hard swinging rhythm, and is a key example of early 1960s hard bop.
