Hard bop is a subgenre of jazz that is an extension of bebop music. Journalists and record companies began using the term in the mid-1950s to describe a new current within jazz that incorporated influences from rhythm and blues, gospel music, and blues, especially in saxophone and piano playing.
Henry Mobley was an American tenor saxophonist and composer. Mobley was described by Leonard Feather as the "middleweight champion of the tenor saxophone", a metaphor used to describe his tone, that was neither as aggressive as John Coltrane nor as mellow as Lester Young, and his style that was laid-back, subtle and melodic, especially in contrast with players such as Coltrane and Sonny Rollins. The critic Stacia Proefrock claimed him "one of the most underrated musicians of the bop era." Mobley's compositions include "Double Exposure", "Soul Station", and "Dig Dis".
Douglas Watkins was an American jazz double bassist. He was best known for being an accompanist to various hard bop artists in the Detroit area, including Donald Byrd and Jackie McLean.
Whims of Chambers is a studio album by the Paul Chambers Sextet, recorded on September 21, 1956 and released on Blue Note circa January 1957. The sextet consists of trumpeter Donald Byrd, saxophonist John Coltrane, and rhythm section Kenny Burrell, Horace Silver, Chamber and ”Philly” Joe Jones.
Charles Lawrence Persip, known as Charli Persip and formerly as Charlie Persip, was an American jazz drummer.
Horace Silver and the Jazz Messengers is an album by Horace Silver and the Jazz Messengers compiling two 1955 10" LPs—Horace Silver Quintet, Vol. 3 and Horace Silver Quintet, Vol. 4 —recorded on November 13, 1954 and February 6, 1955 respectively and released on Blue Note in October 1956—Silver’s debut 12". The quintet features horn section Hank Mobley and Kenny Dorham and rhythm section Doug Watkins and Art Blakey.
Hank Mobley with Donald Byrd and Lee Morgan, also known as Hank Mobley Sextet, is an album by American jazz saxophonist Hank Mobley recorded on November 25, 1956 and released on Blue Note the following year. The sextet features trumpeters Donald Byrd and Lee Morgan, backed by rhythm section Horace Silver, Paul Chambers, and Charli Persip.
The Rajah is an album by jazz trumpeter Lee Morgan released on the Blue Note label. It was recorded on November 29, 1966 but not released until 1985, and features performances by Morgan, Hank Mobley, Cedar Walton, Paul Chambers and Billy Higgins. The recording was found in the Blue Note vaults by Michael Cuscuna in 1984.
Charisma is an album by jazz trumpeter Lee Morgan featuring performances by Morgan, Jackie McLean, Hank Mobley, Cedar Walton, Paul Chambers and Billy Higgins. Recorded on September 29, 1966, but not released until 1969, on the Blue Note label.
Hank Mobley and His All Stars is an album by American jazz saxophonist Hank Mobley, recorded on January 13, 1957 and released on Blue Note later that year. The quintet features vibraphonist Milt Jackson and Jazz Messengers rhythm section Horace Silver, Doug Watkins and Art Blakey.
Peckin' Time is an album credited to American jazz saxophonist Hank Mobley and trumpeter Lee Morgan recorded on February 9, 1958 and released on Blue Note the following year. The two are backed by rhythm section Wynton Kelly, Paul Chambers, and Charlie Persip.
The Jazz Message of Hank Mobley is an album by jazz saxophonist Hank Mobley released on the Savoy label in 1956. It was recorded on February 8, 1956, and features performances by Mobley, Donald Byrd, Ronnie Ball, Horace Silver, Doug Watkins, Wendell Marshall, John LaPorta and Kenny Clarke. It was not issued as a Hank Mobley leader album until the CD era.
Lee Morgan, Vol. 3 is the third album by American jazz trumpeter Lee Morgan, recorded on March 24, 1957 and released on Blue Note later that year. The sextet features saxophonists Gigi Gryce and Benny Golson and rhythm section Wynton Kelly, Paul Chambers and Charlie Persip.
6 Pieces of Silver is an album by the Horace Silver Quintet, recorded on November 10, 1956 and released on Blue Note later that year. The quintet features brass section Donald Byrd and Hank Mobley and rhythm section Doug Watkins and Louis Hayes.
Dizzy Gillespie at Newport is a 1957 live album by Dizzy Gillespie, featuring his big band, recorded at the 1957 Newport Jazz Festival.
The Complete Blue Note Hank Mobley Fifties Sessions is limited edition box set that was released by Mosaic Records in 1998. Included are Mobley's recordings for Blue Note in the late 1950s from the albums The Hank Mobley Quartet, Hank Mobley Sextet, Hank Mobley & His All-Stars, Hank Mobley Quintet, Hank, Hank Mobley, Curtain Call, Peckin' Time and Poppin' . The albums were recorded with Art Blakey, Donald Byrd, Paul Chambers, Sonny Clark, Kenny Dorham, Art Farmer, Bill Hardman, Milt Jackson, Philly Joe Jones, Wynton Kelly, Lee Morgan, Charlie Persip, Jimmy Rowser, Horace Silver, Art Taylor, Bobby Timmons, Wilbur Ware, and Doug Watkins.
Pop + Jazz = Swing is an album arranged and conducted by Benny Golson featuring performances recorded in 1962 and originally released on the Audio Fidelity label. Record producer Tom Wilson was involved in the sessions and wrote the album's liner notes. The album utilised stereophonic sound to present a jazz group on the right channel and an 11-piece pop orchestra playing the same song or a related tune on the left channel which could be separated or mixed by the listener. The related jazz tunes are contrafacts or borrowed chord progressions where new melodies are overlaid on an existing harmonic structure.
Sliding Easy is an album by American trombonist Curtis Fuller, recorded in 1959 and released on the United Artists label.
The Curtis Fuller Jazztet is an album by American trombonist Curtis Fuller with saxophonist Benny Golson, recorded in 1959 and released on the Savoy label.
Dizzy Atmosphere is an album featuring members of Dizzy Gillespie's Orchestra including trombonist Al Grey, saxophonist Billy Mitchell and trumpeter Lee Morgan recorded in 1957 and released on the Specialty label.
