Unissued Session of Hank Mobley
This is a liner note taken from Hank Mobley Poppin' Blue Note GXF 3066 King Record released in 1980.
Hank Mobley's Unissued Session recorded with the best possible members by Yozo Iwanami (Jazz Critic)
When I first listened to The Jazz Messenger's session in 1955, along with Kenny Dorham, Horace Silver, Mobley's Tenor was quite impressive. Since then, his style has always stuck in my mind. He was not dynamic like Sonny Rollins or John Coltrane, but he creates the sound that deep Jazz lovers want (how the saxophone should be played).
Now, these unissued sessions on Blue Note are released and I really feel happy to see that these sessions were recorded with Mobley's best members possible. The recording was done in October in 1957. So, this recording was in between BLP 1568 and Pekkin' Time. The All Star members are,
Art Farmer (Trumpet), Pepper Adams (Bariton Sax), Sonny Clark (Piano), Paul Chambers (Bass), Philly Joe Jones (Drums), and Hank Mobley (Tenor Sax)
There was no single session ever recorded with these members before, thus it is really rare and valuable session. In addition, all the tracks are well played and balanced. I can say this is one of his best albums. I wonder why it was never released in the US...
The 1st and 2nd Blue Note Unissued Master Series were already released and this is the 3rd series. And the 1st and 2nd series, Mobley's sessions were not there although he was present in My Conception By Sonny Clark GXF 3056. Mobley seems doing well with Clark. Mobley also plays a lot with Horace Silver and even after Silver left The Jazz Messengers, he was playing with Mobley.
Mobley was born in 1930 July the 7th in Eastman, Georgia. In the 50's, he went to New York, around 1951 to 1953 played with Max Roach. In 1954, he also played in Dizzy Gillespie's band for about 6 months. 1954 Spring, he played with Horace Silver and in 1955, joined the Jazz Messengers. That is the time his style was becoming known. In 1956, Mobley joined Horace Silver Quintet.
His 1st leader album was recorded in 1956 with Savoy label but in November 1956, he made exclusive contract with Blue Note. Since then Mobley released 17 albums on Blue Note except this Poppin'.
Like Mr.Iwanami observed, I first didn't like Mobley, haha. I felt his style was too soft and not man like, you know. But as I listen more Jazz, I started to realize his greatness. Actually he was a great composer as well. by Takashi
Hi Takashi,
Thank you very much for your posts and videos, I’m learning and enjoying a lot.
Regards,
Pablo from Madrid
Pablo, thank you too! I am learning as well!
Hi Takashi,
I’m catching up on some of your past blogs. I first got Poppin’ GXF 3066, back in the late 80’s from my old friend Leon Levitt. It’s a good session as you know and is well worth seeking out. For me Hank was a player that I was constantly reevaluating through his various periods and through my own changing and increasing levels of understanding and appreciation.
I feel that Hank was at his very best in the Blue Note 10″ days during his sideman appearances with J.J. Johnson, Kenny Dorham and Julius Watkins and on his own quartet date Blue Note 5066.
It sounded to me like Hank was a little more aggressive in his approach at that time and also his “time feel” and execution seemed more to my liking.
After this time Hank began to sound more tentative to me beginning even as early as 1507 and 1508. I always felt that Hanks leader and sideman appearances right through the 1500 series were a little too weak for my tastes and that it wasn’t until Soul Station 4031 that he was getting back on track again.
Now I enjoy all of Hanks various periods of development and you are correct in pointing out that Hank was an excellent composer.
I think some of what I heard as weakness or perhaps sloppiness was really just my own limited conception at the time but also the mid-50’s to the early 60’s was when Hank was having a lot of difficulty with heroin which I’m sure caused a slowing in his development and could have been the source of what I was hearing.
Lately I’ve been listening to all the 1500 stuff that I’ve always had in my collection (I’m a completest) but tended to ignore thinking that Hank was not at his best – all of it sounds good to me now though I still prefer the 5000 series stuff the most.
Peter Lambert