Henry "Hank" 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 like 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."
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.
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".
Sonic Boom is an album by jazz trumpeter Lee Morgan, recorded on April 14 and 28, 1967 but not released on the Blue Note label until 1979. The 2003 CD reissue added seven tracks recorded on September 12 & October 10, 1969 which were first released on the original double LP edition of The Procrastinator. Therefore, the CD edition includes performances by Morgan with two line-ups: the first one with tenor saxophonist David "Fathead" Newman, pianist Cedar Walton, bassist Ron Carter, and drummer Billy Higgins, whilst the second features trombonist Julian Priester, tenor saxophonist George Coleman, pianist Harold Mabern, bassist Walter Booker, and drummer Mickey Roker. The Sonic Boom session is notable for the rare contribution of David "Fathead" Newman, who made only two Blue Note appearances during his career, the other being with Lonnie Smith.
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 label until 1969, on the Blue Note.
Hank Mobley and His All Stars is an album by jazz saxophonist Hank Mobley, released on the Blue Note label in 1957 as BLP 1544. It was recorded on January 13, 1957, and features Mobley along with the other members of the first lineup of the Jazz Messengers: pianist Horace Silver, bassist Doug Watkins, and drummer Art Blakey, with vibraphonist Milt Jackson of Modern Jazz Quartet.
No Room for Squares is an album by jazz tenor saxophonist Hank Mobley recorded on March 7 & October 2, 1963 and released on the Blue Note label. It features performances by Mobley, trumpeters Lee Morgan and Donald Byrd, pianists Andrew Hill and Herbie Hancock, bassists John Ore and Butch Warren, and drummer Philly Joe Jones. Material recorded at the March 7 session was also included on The Turnaround! with the entire session collected for the first time on the 1989 CD edition of Straight No Filter. The 1989 CD issue of No Room for Squares collects the entire October 7 session save an alternate take of "Carolyn" that was first issued in 2019 as part of The Complete Hank Mobley Blue Note Sessions 1963-70.
A Caddy for Daddy is an album by jazz saxophonist Hank Mobley recorded on December 18, 1965, and released on the Blue Note label in 1967. It features performances by Mobley with trumpeter Lee Morgan, trombonist Curtis Fuller, pianist McCoy Tyner, bassist Bob Cranshaw and drummer Billy Higgins.
A Slice of the Top is an album by jazz saxophonist Hank Mobley recorded on March 18, 1966. The album was not released on the Blue Note label until 1979. It features performances by Mobley with a larger than usual ensemble of trumpeter Lee Morgan, euphonium player Kiane Zawadi, tuba player Howard Johnson, alto saxophonist James Spaulding, pianist McCoy Tyner, bassist Bob Cranshaw, and drummer Billy Higgins. The arrangements were written by Duke Pearson. On the original LP, Reggie Workman was mistakenly identified on the sleeve as the bassist.
Hi Voltage is an album by jazz tenor saxophonist Hank Mobley recorded on October 9, 1967 and released on the Blue Note label the following year. It features performances by Mobley with alto saxophonist Jackie McLean, trumpeter Blue Mitchell, pianist John Hicks, drummer Billy Higgins, and bassist Bob Cranshaw.
Third Season is an album by the jazz tenor saxophonist Hank Mobley recorded on February 24, 1967, but not released on the Blue Note label until 1980 as LT 1081. It contains performances by Mobley with trumpeter Lee Morgan, alto saxophonist James Spaulding, pianist Cedar Walton, bassist Walter Booker, drummer Billy Higgins, and guitarist Sonny Greenwich.
Far Away Lands is an album by jazz saxophonist Hank Mobley recorded on May 26, 1967, but not released on the Blue Note label until 1984. It features performances by Mobley with trumpeter Donald Byrd, pianist Cedar Walton, bassist Ron Carter, and drummer Billy Higgins.
Reach Out! is an album by jazz saxophonist Hank Mobley recorded and released by the Blue Note label in 1968. It features performances by Mobley with trumpeter Woody Shaw, guitarist George Benson, pianist LaMont Johnson, bassist Bob Cranshaw, and drummer Billy Higgins.
Breakthrough! is an album by the Cedar Walton/Hank Mobley Quintet recorded on February 22, 1972, originally released on the short-lived Cobblestone label and later reissued on Muse. It features performances by Mobley and Walton with baritone saxophonist Charles Davis, bassist Sam Jones, and Mobley’s longtime drummer Billy Higgins. This was Mobley's final studio recording before retiring due to health issues.
Expansions is the tenth album by jazz pianist McCoy Tyner and his fourth released on the Blue Note label. It was recorded in August 1968 and features performances by Tyner with trumpeter Woody Shaw, alto saxophonist Gary Bartz, tenor saxophonist Wayne Shorter, bassist Ron Carter, bassist Herbie Lewis and drummer Freddie Waits.
6 Pieces of Silver is a studio album by jazz pianist Horace Silver released on the Blue Note label in 1957 featuring performances by Silver with Donald Byrd, Hank Mobley, Doug Watkins and Louis Hayes. The Allmusic review by Scott Yanow awarded the album 4½ stars and states "The early Silver quintet was essentially The Jazz Messengers of the year before but already the band was starting to develop a sound of its own. "Señor Blues" officially put Horace Silver on the map". The front cover photograph was taken at Central Park West, Upper West Side.
Blackjack is an album by American trumpeter Donald Byrd featuring performances by Byrd with Sonny Red, Hank Mobley, Cedar Walton, Walter Booker, and Billy Higgins recorded in 1967 and released on the Blue Note label as BLP 4259. The CD reissue included one bonus track recorded in 1963. The title track was sampled by Gang Starr & Dream Warriors in their 1991 collaboration "I've Lost My Ignorance".
Anthenagin is an album by drummer Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers recorded in 1973 and released on the Prestige label.
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."
