*****Hank Mobley Corner*****

[shawn·m]

Partially in honor to a controversial figure from elsewhere, I thought I’d try and start a new thread dedicated to Hank Mobley.

Hank’s one of a few jazzmen that started me on my jazz quest twenty some years ago. Initially, it was his ’60s stuff that hooked me with its insidious drive and accessibly. Although “Middle Weight Champion” may have some negative connotations, I do think it’s close to the mark. Hank’s sound is, for me, the near perfect center of the tenor sax sound. An absurd statement? Maybe, but it’s almost like coming home, or touching base.

There was a time when my interest in Hank waned. I was swept away by other musicians and groups as my exposure to jazz increased. I’m currently infatuated with a recent re-discovery of Mingus, for example —so I guess the process never stops. Still, albums like No Room For Squares, with Andrew Hill doing some subtly subversive support work, was never out of rotation for very long.

Then Mosaic put out Hank’s ’50s Blue Note stuff and boy did that hit home, and hard. It’s strange how easy it can be to sometimes write-off a particular stage of a musician’s work, only to come back to it years later and hear something very interesting and captivating. I had a copy of Hank Mobley Quintet, recorded in ’57, since the late ’80s. It was one of those that wound up on the shelf, unlistened to for a good ten years. In fact, I nearly didn’t buy the Mosaic based on my memory of the ’57 session.

I think I’ve had the set for something like a year-and-a-half, and it’s still in heavy rotation. Mobley’s ’60s material may be more popular, but I definitely prefer his ’50s work. Hank just seemed to be brimming with dynamic can’t-hold-me-back life during that time. And to think I nearly passed it by! Since then, I’ve reintroduced myself to the Jazz Messenger’s Café Bohemia ’55 recordings and simply can’t believe how wonderful these are, or that they didn’t do it for me initially. Amazing.

It’s odd how liner notes can be crammed so full of words and yet, leave the reader in the dark. Yes, there’s lots of session info; rife with wheres and whens, who played with whom. But I’ve never had a sense of who the man was. Unlike Miles, Trane, Rollins, Parker, Armstrong… there’s never been much information available. Well, maybe that’s as it should be, but his expressive recordings only serve to deepen the mysterious silence surrounding hank’s life.

Question: Did Hank ever record in a piano-less setting after Max Roach’s + 4 & More and Plays Charlie Parker? Mobley seems like he’s not entirely comfortable with the band (did he rely on chordal support?), or maybe the tempos, but its interesting stuff none-the-less.

[shawn·m]

Oh, and just to be fair, I think Thinking of Home is a genuine stinker, so it’s not entirely a case of “Mobley can do no wrong.”

[Aggie87]

it’s not entirely a case of “Mobley can do no wrong.”

You and Miles would certainly agree ;)

I happen to love all of the Mobley I've heard (don't have Thinking of Home yet), and agree with you re: NRFS. Soul Station doesn't leave my rotation very often either, for that matter.

And I just picked up Peckin' Time, via trade from a member of a BB that shall remain nameless, so that's on deck for me. Also just recently picked up Stylings of Silver as well.

A big HELL YEAH for Hank! :D

[shawn·m]

Yeah, that Peckin’ Time session with Morgan closes out the Mosaic set in fine fashion. Morgan and Mobley made such a great team. Were they ever recorded together in Blakey’s ’59 Messengers eddition? Hmm, time to check AMG.

[jazzypaul]

One of the live two-fers from Birdland has the Morgan-Mobley combo.

[shawn·m]

Ah, I see “superhero” is not for nothin’. Is this in your personal collection, Jazzypaul? Maybe a silly question, but if so, does it live up to expectations?

Oops, I’ve spent far too much time playing with my new toy. Time for bed.

[jazzypaul]

aww shucks. yep. Oh Hell Yeah!

Nighty-Night. See ya in the morning.

[riverrat]

hadi-blues:

"Oh, and just to be fair, I think Thinking of Home is a genuine stinker, so it’s not entirely a case of 'Mobley can do no wrong.'"

I actually was pleasantly surprised by "Thinking of Home". Not your typical Hank session to be sure, but quite enjoyable to these ears.

I think my favorite is "Hi Voltage", but "Workout" and "Soul Station" are right up there too.

[catesta]

A Mobley thread!

Hadi my friend, you are a genius.:D

Mobley just like Morgan, is in my regular rotations.
"Peckin' Time" and "Straight No Filter", are my latest additions.

[weizen]

I was checking out "The Flip" last night and it's an "ok" listen for a liberty pressing but is really hurting in the low end dept. and very 'tinni'......the whole thing is in desperate need of a re-mastering. I really like Dizzy Reece and it would be nice to hear a great toe-tapper track like "18th Hole" after a little sonic upgrade.

[EKE BBB]

Talking ´bout Mobley as a leader, my vote goes to "Roll call", "Soul station" and "Straight no filter"

Then, a few good sessions as a sideman (IMO):

*The eminent. Volume two JJ Johnson Blue note 1954 (54-55)

*At the Cafe Bohemia, vol.1 Art Blakey (& the Jazz Messengers) Blue Note 1955

*At the Cafe Bohemia, vol.2 Art Blakey (& the Jazz Messengers) Blue Note 1955

*4, 5 & 6 Jackie McLean Prestige/OJC 1956

*Six pieces of silver Horace Silver Blue note 1956 (56-58)

*A blowin´ session Johnny Griffin Blue note 1957

*The Max Roach 4 plays Charlie Parker Max Roach (MR 4) Verve 1958

*My point of view Herbie Hancock Blue note 1963

*Live at the Left Bank Jazz Society. Baltimore, 1967 Wynton Kelly Fresh sound 1967

[AfricaBrass]

I actually like "Thinking of Home" - I really like the title track. There is very little Hank Mobley that I don't enjoy.

[shawn·m]

I’m glad folks like Thinking Of Home, Mobley deserves his due from all angles possible. But Hank sounds tired and disinterested on this session —in my opinion. Especially when placed next to the body of his other recordings (I admit to never hearing the maligned Reach Out). But that’s Ok, I’m leaving myself open to the possibility that I’ll pick up on Thinking Of Home’s beauty at a later date. And boy, does that ever happen a lot!

[Peter Johnson]

I think "Reach Out!" is unfairly maligned. Many people say Hank "phoned this one in," but I disagree. One of the songs (I think it's the second song on side B) is a true swinger, and Woody and Hank have some genius trading moments in it. It's a nice boogaloo/bop number that, although by virtue of its form, doesn't allow the players to stretch wayyyyyy out, is a good balance between catchy and rhythmically/harmonically interesting. The song Reach Out does sound a bit dated, I admit (of course, it was a top song at the time!), and as I type this I realize I can't pull any other album highlights out of my head :o , but I'll try to spin it this weekend and see if I can provide any more rationale behind my closing thought, which is that one should pick it up if one sees it.

[weizen]

Originally posted by hadi·blues
(I admit to never hearing the maligned Reach Out).


That album drives me nuts. I almost hate to put the thing on because I'm just so biased re: "Reach out I'll be There" and "Goin' Out of My Head"....but once I hear Woody Shaw kick in on "Up Over and Out" and then Benson go to town on "Good Pickin's" I come away from it thinking that I've been a dunce for not giving it more than a couple of spins per year. You outta give this one a shot sometime.

[Peter Johnson]

LOL! You definitely have a point. Other than sun ra and late coltrane, "reach out" (the song) is one of the few things that makes my wife give me that "what the f*** are you listening to???!!!" look.

*Sigh* I've broadened her jazz horizons, but I guess she still can't appreciate...uh..."standards" ;)

[BruceH]

Actually, I find Thinking of Home to be not so bad. Not another Workout or Soul Station or Turnaround, certainly, but not bad either.
Great to hear someone else is a fan of Hi Voltage! (Hello riveratt)What a solid album! I like it more than Caddy and Dippin'. Still don't have The Flip though.

It's funny to think back. When I got more into Soul Station, then grabbed a copy of Workout, I thought hey, I just have to get the 2 or 3 other albums he did as a leader, and then I'll be all set for Mobley. Little did I know.... And when Mosaic first announced a Complete Blue Note 50's Mobley I thought, hell I've already got two of his 50's albums, how many more can there be? Needless to say, it was one of my best Mosaic purchases.

Now I'm at the point where I'll usually buy an album just because it's got Mobley as a sideman. (The latest: Kenny Drew--"It's New" Mobley on first few tracks.)

[J Larsen]

I've really come to appreciate Hank. I tend to prefer 60s jazz and I'm interested in a lot of "out" jazz, but I actually really started getting into Hank after I got the 50s Mosaic set! My favorite Mobley is probably Far Away Lands (come to think of it, that one is long overdue for a spin - too bad my girlfriend is sleeping already...). The first disc I ever bought with him as a leader was A Caddy for Daddy - that's an underrated album IMO. The title track is good as far as boogaloos go, and the tune The Morning After is an overlooked gem with really nice playing by Lee Morgan. On the darker side of things, Reaching Out is just an embarrassment, and Thinking of Home is mediocre. I was really let down by Thinking of Home after all the hype it got prior to being reissued. If I had picked that album up with no expectations, I might have been a little more receptive to it.

[connoisseur series500]

"Reach Out" is the only bad tune on the eponymous cd. The others are all good, especially "Up Over and Out" To me this cd is a must own.

I like "Far Away Lands" and "Dippin" Most of his cds are good.

Paul

[clifton]

Mobley seems to be getting his due, finally. Not a flashy player, but a consistently warm, swinging, and intelligent one. He never plays anything that souns irrelevent; every phrase is melodic. I listen to "Soul Station" and "The Turnaround" a lot. Also there's the 1956 "Tenor Conclave" session with Coltrane, Al Cohn & Zoot Sims. I bought it 35 years ago on vinyl and I'm afraid it's out of print. I hope I'm wrong because it's a really good album. My favorite Hank is probably on the Kenny Dorham "Whistle Stop" album, a classic, IMHO.

[J Larsen]

Tenor Conclave is in print on cd - not sure about vinyl, although I do feel like I saw a vinyl reissue of it recently in the bins.

[Peter Johnson]

Tenor Conclave is also available (legitimately) in *.mp3 form from emusic.com.

[brownie]

The Jazz Messengers at Cafe Bohemia really did it for me. Heard the LPs when they came out. I have been hooked to Mobley (and Dorham, Horace, Doug and Blakey) ever since.

[shawn·m]

Overall, I’ve not been a fan of the RVG series, although I do think RVG is producing a better product lately. So now I’ve done it. I’ve ordered both Café Bohemia RVG volumes. Hey, what can I say? I’m still surprised by just how much I’ve been enjoying the McMaster disks all over again. Hope I’m not disappointed, but like Blakey’s 1960 Messengers recordings, I’ll probably buy every stinkin’ version they produce, just so I don’t miss out on anything.

[BruceH]

A shile back I edited the Cafe Bohemia RVG's onto a 110-minute tape. Great for long-distance trips.
Tenor Conclave is a must.

[jazzhound]

I like all of Hank's studio dates, but I find his playing on the live dates too laid back, almost timid. I don't know if this is due to the recording techniques being different, or if Hank prepared better for his studio dates. Seem like he's got more air goin thru the horn on the studio recordings. Better tone too.
Anybody hear it that way?
( I am going to give the Bohemia date a spin right now, Brownie.)