{"title":"Hank Mobley","description":"\u003cp\u003eBorn Henry Mobley on 7 July 1930 in Eastman, Georgia and raised in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Hank Mobley became one of the most prolific tenor saxophonists in Blue Note's history despite being described by critic Leonard Feather as the \"middleweight champion of the tenor saxophone\", a metaphor referring to his tone that was neither as aggressive as John Coltrane nor as mellow as Lester Young, and his laid-back, subtle, and melodic style. Coming from a musical family, Mobley played piano as a child before his uncle bought him a tenor saxophone at age 16 during an illness that kept him home for months, and he taught himself theory and harmony from books his grandmother bought after being rejected from music school in Newark for not being a resident. Modelling his style on Lester Young, Charlie Parker, Dexter Gordon, Don Byas, and Sonny Stitt, he was hired at 19 by Paul Gayten's R\u0026amp;B band in 1949, recommended by Clifford Brown, before joining a Newark nightclub house band in 1951 with pianist Walter Davis Jr., which led to a job with Max Roach in early 1953.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMobley spent much of 1954 performing and recording with Dizzy Gillespie before joining Horace Silver's group in September 1954, which evolved into a quintet co-led by Art Blakey dubbed the Jazz Messengers. Their groundbreaking 1955 album \u003cem\u003eHorace Silver and the Jazz Messengers\u003c\/em\u003e was a landmark in the genesis of hard bop, with sophisticated solos and bright, almost funky rhythms, followed by the historic November 1955 sessions yielding the two-volume \u003cem\u003eAt the Cafe Bohemia\u003c\/em\u003e. Mobley led his first Blue Note session, The Hank Mobley Quartet, in 1955, and after the original Jazz Messengers split in 1956 he stayed with Silver until 1957, by which time he had begun recording prolifically as leader for Blue Note, completing eight albums' worth of material over the next 16 months. A drug problem resulted in arrest in 1958 that took him off the scene for a year, but upon returning in 1959 he rejoined Blakey briefly before embarking on one of the longest recording streaks in Blue Note history from 1955 to 1970, recording over 25 albums as leader. His 1960 masterpiece \u003cem\u003eSoul Station\u003c\/em\u003e with Wynton Kelly, Paul Chambers, and Art Blakey is generally considered his finest recording, whilst \u003cem\u003eRoll Call\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eWorkout\u003c\/em\u003e also appeared in 1961. Mobley was briefly a member of the Miles Davis band in 1961 during Davis's search for a Coltrane replacement, heard on \u003cem\u003eSomeday My Prince Will Come\u003c\/em\u003e alongside Coltrane, \u003cem\u003eIn Person: Live at the Blackhawk\u003c\/em\u003e, and \u003cem\u003eAt Carnegie Hall\u003c\/em\u003e. He formed a particularly productive partnership with trumpeter Lee Morgan and worked with Grant Green, Freddie Hubbard, Sonny Clark, and Philly Joe Jones. Mid to late 1960s highlights include \u003cem\u003eA Caddy for Daddy\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eHi Voltage\u003c\/em\u003e, and \u003cem\u003eThe Flip. \u003c\/em\u003eLung problems forced his retirement in the mid-1970s. He died in Philadelphia on 30 May 1986, aged 55, and was inducted into the DownBeat Hall of Fame in 2019.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"hank-mobley-soul-station-2024-blue-note-85-anniversary-blue-vinyl-lp","title":"Hank Mobley - Soul Station (2024 Blue Note 85 Anniversary Blue Vinyl LP)","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHank Mobley - \u003cem\u003eSoul Station\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eVinyl LP - 2024 Blue Note 85th Anniversary Limited Edition Blue Vinyl with Obi\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOne of hard bop's most perfect recordings\u003c\/strong\u003e - regularly cited among Blue Note's greatest albums\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLimited edition blue vinyl\u003c\/strong\u003e - Blue Note 85th Anniversary pressing with obi strip\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eAll-star quartet\u003c\/strong\u003e - Miles Davis' rhythm section at their absolute peak\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTenor saxophonist Hank Mobley's 1960 Blue Note session stands as one of hard bop's most perfect recordings, the quartet featuring pianist Wynton Kelly, bassist Paul Chambers, and drummer Art Blakey performing six tracks that balance blues feeling with sophisticated harmonic invention. Mobley's \"round sound\" tenor approach—less aggressive than Coltrane, warmer than Rollins—finds ideal setting in this quartet, his playing demonstrating melodic clarity and rhythmic subtlety often overlooked in favour of more explosive contemporaries. The rhythm section, all from Miles Davis' groups of the period, swings effortlessly throughout, Kelly's bluesy piano work, Chambers' melodic bass lines, and Blakey's driving yet supportive drums creating perfect foundation for Mobley's explorations. Released on 11 October 2024 as part of Blue Note's 85th Anniversary Collection and pressed at Germany's Optimal Media on limited edition blue vinyl with obi strip, this worldwide reissue honours one of hard bop's essential albums.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe six tracks showcase Mobley's compositional gifts alongside his interpretive skills. His originals \"This I Dig Of You\", \"Dig Dis\", and the title track \"Soul Station\" demonstrate his ability to write memorable themes that swing naturally while providing harmonic interest, while his readings of standards \"Remember\", \"Split Feelin's\", and \"If I Should Lose You\" reveal how he could make familiar material sound fresh through his distinctive phrasing and tone. Mobley's playing never overwhelms; instead, he draws listeners in through subtle melodic development and perfect time feel.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe rhythm section's chemistry reflects their shared experience in Davis' groups, each musician understanding when to push and when to lay back. Kelly's comping creates harmonic bed that supports without constraining, Chambers' bass work functions as both foundation and melodic voice, and Blakey demonstrates that his explosive power could be channeled into sensitive accompaniment when context demanded.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Blue Note","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43214808776763,"sku":null,"price":75.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0630\/3203\/3339\/files\/HankMobley_SoulStation.jpg?v=1771025868"},{"product_id":"hank-mobley-billy-root-curtis-fuller-lee-morgan-monday-night-at-birdland-1977-japanese-roulette-vinyl-lp","title":"Hank Mobley \/ Billy Root \/ Curtis Fuller \/ Lee Morgan - Monday Night at Birdland (1977 Japanese Roulette Vinyl LP)","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eVinyl\u003c\/b\u003e: EX\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSleeve\u003c\/b\u003e:\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eVG+\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eObi:\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003eNone\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur grading system explained \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/dpbg4u-d1.myshopify.com\/pages\/secondhand-grading-guide\"\u003e\u003cb\u003ehere\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003cbr\u003ePhoto is of the actual item.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHank Mobley \/ Billy Root \/ Curtis Fuller \/ Lee Morgan - \u003cem\u003eMonday Night at Birdland\u003c\/em\u003e Vinyl LP - 1977 Japanese Roulette Birdland Series Stereo Reissue\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLive hard bop at its most uninhibited\u003c\/strong\u003e, recorded at Birdland on 21 April 1958 during Symphony Sid's legendary Monday night sessions for young musicians\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eA 19-year-old Lee Morgan\u003c\/strong\u003e leading the front line alongside Curtis Fuller and Hank Mobley, with Ray Bryant on piano and Specs Wright on drums\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFour extended performances\u003c\/strong\u003e including \"Walkin'\" and \"Bag's Groove\", the kind of open blowing vehicles that allowed this front line to stretch\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003e1977 Japanese Roulette Birdland Series stereo pressing\u003c\/strong\u003e, manufactured by Nippon Columbia Co., Ltd.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRecorded live at Birdland, New York City on 21 April 1958 and originally released on Roulette the same year, \u003cem\u003eMonday Night at Birdland \u003c\/em\u003ecaptures the Monday night sessions that disc jockey Symphony Sid hosted at the club when the regular bill was off and the younger musicians came in to play. The front line of Lee Morgan on trumpet, Curtis Fuller on trombone, and Hank Mobley on tenor, with Billy Root on additional saxophone, Ray Bryant on piano, Tommy Bryant on bass and Specs Wright on drums, is an extraordinary gathering of hard bop talent at a moment when all of them were ascending. Morgan in particular commands attention: he was 19 years old at the time of the recording, already in possession of the clear, full-toned attack and rhythmically assertive phrasing that would define his Blue Note recordings across the decade ahead. The four tracks selected for this pressing, \"Walkin'\", \"All the Things You Are\", \"Bag's Groove\" and \"There Will Never Be Another You\", are the kind of open blowing vehicles that suited the Birdland setting, long enough to allow the front line to develop ideas at length without the constraints of a studio session. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMobley's tenor sits at the centre of the session, his characteristically warm, slightly smoky tone providing a point of contrast to Morgan's brightness and Fuller's French horn-like richness. Ray Bryant's piano comping, assured and rhythmically grounded, holds the rhythm section together beneath Specs Wright's drums across four performances that run as extended jam sessions rather than tightly arranged set pieces. Released in Japan in 1977 on Roulette (YW-7812-RO) as part of the Birdland Series and manufactured by Nippon Columbia Co., Ltd., this pressing presents a live document of hard bop at street level, not a Blue Note session under Van Gelder's microphones but musicians playing for a room, the energy of the performance intact.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Roulette","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43244579422267,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0630\/3203\/3339\/files\/IMG_6273.jpg?v=1772229000"},{"product_id":"hank-mobley-no-room-for-squares-2023-blue-note-classic-vinyl-series-vinyl-lp","title":"Hank Mobley - No Room For Squares (2023 Blue Note Classic Vinyl Series Vinyl LP)","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHank Mobley - \u003cem\u003eNo Room For Squares\u003c\/em\u003e | Vinyl LP - 2023 Blue Note Classic Vinyl Series (180g, Kevin Gray\/Cohearent Audio, Optimal Media GmbH)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHank Mobley's 1963 Blue Note recording\u003c\/strong\u003e drawn from two sessions with two completely different quintets: the March session brings Donald Byrd on trumpet, Herbie Hancock on piano and Butch Warren on bass; the October session substitutes Lee Morgan, Andrew Hill and John Ore — Philly Joe Jones on drums throughout both\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSix originals by Mobley and Lee Morgan\u003c\/strong\u003e, including Morgan's tender ballad \"Carolyn\" and the hard-driving \"Me 'N You\"; Andrew Hill's angular piano comping and Hancock's more open harmonic approach give the two sessions a noticeably different character across the same LP\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOne of Reid Miles's most celebrated Blue Note cover designs\u003c\/strong\u003e, applied to one of Mobley's most consistently strong recordings as a bandleader and composer\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003e2023 Blue Note Classic Vinyl Series\u003c\/strong\u003e, mastered by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio, pressed at Optimal Media GmbH on 180g vinyl\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHank Mobley recorded \u003cem\u003eNo Room For Squares\u003c\/em\u003e across two Blue Note sessions in 1963, six months apart at Van Gelder Studio in Englewood Cliffs. The two dates used entirely different personnel beyond Mobley himself and drummer Philly Joe Jones. On 7 March, Mobley brought Donald Byrd on trumpet, Herbie Hancock on piano and Butch Warren on bass; the two tracks from this session — \"Up A Step\" and \"Old World, New Imports\" — appear as A3 and B3. On 2 October, the quintet was rebuilt with Lee Morgan on trumpet, Andrew Hill on piano and John Ore on bass, producing the four tracks that bracket them. Alfred Lion produced both sessions; Rudy Van Gelder engineered.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe split generates a useful contrast. Hancock's piano provides harmonic clarity and a looser, post-bop flow; Hill's comping is more angular and modal. Morgan and Byrd are similarly distinct — Morgan brings a more lyrical directness, Byrd a cooler precision. Mobley's tenor is a consistent presence across both, rolling and unhurried. Of the six compositions, four are Mobley originals (\"Three Way Split,\" \"Up A Step,\" \"No Room For Squares,\" \"Old World, New Imports\") and two are Morgan's: the ballad \"Carolyn,\" one of the more touching things Morgan wrote, and the funky, driving \"Me 'N You.\" Alfred Lion had the cover designed by Reid Miles — one of the most widely reproduced of the Blue Note cover designs. The album was originally released in May 1964. This 2023 Classic Vinyl Series pressing is mastered by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio and pressed at Optimal Media GmbH on 180g vinyl.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Blue Note","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43285371748411,"sku":null,"price":75.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0630\/3203\/3339\/files\/61Mz6agCB5L._UF1000_1000_QL80.jpg?v=1773661100"},{"product_id":"hank-mobley-workout-2024-blue-note-classic-vinyl-series-vinyl-lp","title":"Hank Mobley - Workout (2024 Blue Note Classic Vinyl Series Vinyl LP)","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHank Mobley - \u003cem\u003eWorkout\u003c\/em\u003e | Vinyl LP - 2024 Blue Note Classic Vinyl Series 180g (5832034, Kevin Gray\/Cohearent Audio, Optimal Media GmbH)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHank Mobley recorded \u003cem\u003eWorkout\u003c\/em\u003e on March 26, 1961 — the fourth of five consecutive hard bop albums he cut for Blue Note between 1960 and 1963. Alfred Lion produced; Rudy Van Gelder engineered; Francis Wolff photographed the cover. The rhythm section was borrowed: Wynton Kelly and Paul Chambers were under contract to Vee-Jay Records, appearing here while simultaneously serving as Miles Davis's regular pianist and bassist. Grant Green was Blue Note's busiest guitarist during this period. Philly Joe Jones, the drummer, brought the same propulsive directness he had with Davis.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFour of the five tracks are Mobley originals. They move directly — \"Workout\" and \"Uh Huh\" hit a hard groove and stay there, \"Smokin'\" does exactly what the title promises, \"Greasin' Easy\" is looser, slower-burning. The fifth track, \"The Best Things in Life Are Free,\" is a standard from the 1927 Broadway show \u003cem\u003eGood News\u003c\/em\u003e — Mobley takes it at medium tempo with enough lyrical ease to distinguish it from the rest of Side B. The combination of Mobley's underrated but soulful tenor, Kelly's spring-loaded comping and Grant Green's single-note guitar runs makes the record an argument for the quintet format done without compromise. Kevin Gray mastered this Classic Vinyl edition at Cohearent Audio from the original analog master tapes; Optimal pressed it on 180g vinyl in Germany.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Blue Note","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43418953056315,"sku":null,"price":75.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0630\/3203\/3339\/files\/71eMUs7h17L._UF1000_1000_QL80.jpg?v=1776173573"}],"url":"https:\/\/lushliferecords.com.au\/collections\/hank-mobley.oembed","provider":"Lush Life Records","version":"1.0","type":"link"}