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.
At the Cafe Bohemia, Vols. 1 & 2 are a pair of separate but related live albums by the Jazz Messengers recorded at the Café Bohemia jazz club in Greenwich Village on November 23, 1955 and released on Blue Note in April 1956.
The Jazz Messengers is the first studio album by the Jazz Messengers, released in 1956 by Columbia Records. It was their fourth overall album, and also their last recording to feature the group's co-founder, Horace Silver, on piano.
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.
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 Quintet, also known as Hank Mobley with Farmer, Silver, Watkins, Blakey, is an album by American jazz saxophonist Hank Mobley recorded on March 8, 1957 and released on Blue Note later that year. The quintet features trumpeter Art Farmer and rhythm section Horace Silver, Doug Watkins and Art Blakey.
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.
Jazz Message #2 is an album by jazz saxophonist Hank Mobley released on the Savoy label in 1957. It was recorded on July 23 & November 7, 1956 and features performances by Mobley, Donald Byrd, Lee Morgan, Hank Jones, Doug Watkins Barry Harris, Kenny Clarke and Art Taylor. Lee Morgan was very young in this recording.
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.
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.
The Stylings of Silver is an album by the Horace Silver Quintet recorded on May 8, 1957 and released on Blue Note later that year. The quintet features horn section Art Farmer and Hank Mobley and rhythm section Teddy Kotick and Louis Hayes.
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.
Introducing Kenny Burrell: The First Blue Note Sessions is a compilation album by jazz guitarist Kenny Burrell. It compiles:
Introducing Kenny Burrell
Kenny Burrell Volume 2
K. B. Blues
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 Cool Voice of Rita Reys is the debut album by Dutch jazz singer Rita Reys which features sessions recorded with bands led by drummers Art Blakey and her husband Wessel Ilcken. The sessions are divided over each side of the original LP which was released on the Dutch Philips and US Columbia labels.
The Jazz Messengers were a jazz combo that existed for over thirty-five years beginning in the early 1950s as a collective, and ending when long-time leader and founding drummer Art Blakey died in 1990. Blakey led or co-led the group from the outset. "Art Blakey" and "Jazz Messengers" became synonymous over the years, though Blakey did lead non-Messenger recording sessions and played as a sideman for other groups throughout his career.
"Yes sir, I'm gonna to stay with the youngsters. When these get too old, I'm gonna get some younger ones. Keeps the mind active."
"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.
"Señor Blues" is a composition by Horace Silver. The original version, an instrumental by Silver's quintet, was recorded on November 10, 1956. It has become a jazz standard. Silver later wrote lyrics, which were first recorded by Silver's band with Bill Henderson singing in 1958.
