John Zorn is an American composer, conductor, saxophonist, arranger and producer who "deliberately resists category". His avant-garde and experimental approaches to composition and improvisation are inclusive of jazz, rock, hardcore, classical, contemporary, surf, metal, soundtrack, ambient, and world music. Rolling Stone noted that "[alt]hough Zorn has operated almost entirely outside the mainstream, he's gradually asserted himself as one of the most influential musicians of our time".
Conrad Yeatis "Sonny" Clark was an American jazz pianist and composer who mainly worked in the hard bop idiom.
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".
Edward Rudolph "Butch" Warren Jr. was an American jazz bassist who was active during the 1950s and 1960s.
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.
Vertigo is an album by American saxophonist Jackie McLean, recorded in 1962 and 1963 but not released on the Blue Note label until 1980. The initial release contained only the five tracks from 1963, while the later 2000 limited CD edition, released as part of the "Connoisseur Series", added six tracks from a 1962 session originally marked for release as Jackie McLean Quintet, first issued in 1978 as part of a double LP entitled Hipnosis.
Originally is an album by drummer Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers recorded in 1956, but not released on the Columbia label until 1982. The album features unreleased tracks from the sessions that produced The Jazz Messengers and Hard Bop which have since been released as bonus tracks on those albums and Drum Suite.
Workout is an album by jazz tenor saxophonist Hank Mobley released on the Blue Note label in 1962. It features performances by Mobley, pianist Wynton Kelly, bassist Paul Chambers, guitarist Grant Green, and drummer Philly Joe Jones. The album was identified by Scott Yanow in his Allmusic essay "Hard Bop" as one of 17 Essential Hard Bop Recordings. In October 2014, it was released in Japan on SHM-CD, featuring a previously unissued take of "Three Coins in the Fountain".
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.
News for Lulu is an album of hard bop compositions performed by saxophonist John Zorn, trombonist George Lewis and guitarist Bill Frisell.
Before We Were Born is the first album by Bill Frisell to be released on the Elektra Nonesuch label. It was released in 1989 and features performances by Frisell, cellist Hank Roberts, bassist Kermit Driscoll and drummer Joey Baron. Guests include guitarist Arto Lindsay, keyboardist Peter Scherer, alto saxophonist Julius Hemphill and baritone saxophonist Doug Wieselman.
Curtain Call is an album by jazz saxophonist Hank Mobley, released on the Japanese Blue Note label in 1984. It was recorded on August 18, 1957 and features Mobley, trumpeter Kenny Dorham, bassist Jimmy Rowser, pianist Sonny Clark, and drummer Art Taylor.
Goin' Up is an album by trumpeter Freddie Hubbard released on the Blue Note label in 1961. It features performances by Hubbard, Hank Mobley, McCoy Tyner, Paul Chambers and Philly Joe Jones.
My Conception is an album by jazz pianist Sonny Clark, recorded for the Blue Note label and performed by Clark with Donald Byrd, Hank Mobley, Paul Chambers, and Art Blakey. It was originally released in 1979 in Japan, as GXF 3056, featuring six tracks recorded in 1959 including an alternate take of "Royal Flush", a track that had appeared on the album Cool Struttin'. The 2000 limited CD reissue also comprised the three additional tracks originally recorded for Sonny Clark Quintets, an album which never saw the light of the day until being released later only in Japan.
Showboat is an album by American jazz trumpeter Kenny Dorham featuring performances of tunes from the Jerome Kern-Oscar Hammerstein II musical Show Boat recorded in 1960 and released on the Time label.
Byrd's Eye View is an album by trumpeter Donald Byrd recorded in 1955 and originally released on Tom Wilson's Transition label. The album was later re-released as part of the compilation CD set The Transition Sessions on the Blue Note label.
The Max Roach Quartet featuring Hank Mobley was the debut album by American jazz drummer Max Roach featuring tracks recorded in 1953 and first released on the Debut label as a 10-inch LP.
"The Preacher" is a composition by Horace Silver. The original version was recorded by Silver's quintet on February 6, 1955. It was soon covered by other musicians, including with lyrics added by Babs Gonzales. It has become a jazz standard.
"Doodlin'" is a composition by Horace Silver. The original version, by Silver's quintet, was recorded on November 13, 1954. It was soon covered by other musicians, including with lyrics added by Jon Hendricks. It has become a jazz standard.
Take One is an album by the American musician T. S. Monk. It was released on the Blue Note label in 1992. Monk supported the album with a European tour.
