wow. what an honor to be represented like this here at the banter, especially with my favorite blue note artist/album/album cover/song!
i can't thank you enough, alex! and to those who do pick up the CD, i cannot express how much i truly appreciate it! this disc is my biggest accomplishment and sense of pride; i worked impossibly hard on it.
also, please know, that every cent from cd sales goes directly into a fund to pay for the 2nd album, which is costing me upwards of $10,000 (!!!) and will feature a dedication to the banter's Todd Drew (hopefully, represented here next spring...) and a tribute to my Grandpa.
thanks again, and i hope you enjoy both Hank Mobley and Percussion Discussion! (btw, you can listen to audio snippets of my album at the "Directed Listening" section of my website, linked above.)
i've been a blue note aficionado for a good twenty years now. i was initially schooled by a jazz mentor who was the bass T.A. and a big band conductor of mine in college and by the 2 main guys at an amazing local record store at Penn State.
hank mobley quickly became my favorite artist and "Philly" Joe Jones & Paul Chambers ("Mr. P.C."), my favorite rhythm section. hank has always been called "underrated" and mention of his "round" tone and rhythmic prowess is ubiquitous. i'm still shocked & amazed that his composition skills haven't been more widely championed.
over a 15 year period, he wrote over 100 incredible jazz compositions for several different groups. he also had the uncanny ability to write specifically for horn players that were on that specific session and could knock out some serious charts on the session itself, in no time at all.
hank was an original Jazz Messenger w/ Horace Silver & Art Blakey. when that co-op band became 2 groups, hank played with - and wrote for - both bands. he also had a short run with Miles Davis in the early 60's, but miles didn't like hank's playing.
mobley was one the 'main' artists for Blue Note Records, from 1955-1970, as a leader, sideman and composer. he recorded 25 solo albums and the label has released over a half-dozen best of packages.
after a 2-year jail sentence (it was pretty common for jazzers to get thrown in the tank on heroin charges, but hank's first arrest on possession, came 3 years before he ever touched the stuff.), hank came back with a vengeance. in 60'-'61, he released a quartet of albums - Soul Station, Roll Call, Workout & Another Workout. the first 3 are fabulous, with Soul Station & Workout, considered to be Hank's "classics" (the latter being one of the very few albums he did as a quartet).
"The Mobe," had two other jail stints. must've been motivating and productive for him, because on another, he composed the incredible music for the Slice of the Top album, which featured 5 horns, including low brass. brilliant stuff in 1966, about a year before this type of writing and arranging became the norm.
hank was born in georgia and raised in newark, nj. he lived in chicago and paris, for a spell. died in a train station in philly in 1986 and received a nothing little 2-line, quick sentence obituary in the new york times.
One of the great Blue Note albums ever and maybe the best cover photo of all time! I love Hank Mobley and am always thrilled when a jazz cafe owner pulls him out on vinyl.
I forgot to mention that even though Grant Green was a relative newcomer to the scene at the time of this recording and release, it was the first time he was heard in a setting without organ. Another reason this is a monumental record, as Green went on to become a Blue Note star, in his own right.
Sweet!
Great stuff, and nice support. I might just have to buy me one of them there diskey things from the South.
Eric is the MAN.
wow. what an honor to be represented like this here at the banter, especially with my favorite blue note artist/album/album cover/song!
i can't thank you enough, alex! and to those who do pick up the CD, i cannot express how much i truly appreciate it! this disc is my biggest accomplishment and sense of pride; i worked impossibly hard on it.
also, please know, that every cent from cd sales goes directly into a fund to pay for the 2nd album, which is costing me upwards of $10,000 (!!!) and will feature a dedication to the banter's Todd Drew (hopefully, represented here next spring...) and a tribute to my Grandpa.
thanks again, and i hope you enjoy both Hank Mobley and Percussion Discussion! (btw, you can listen to audio snippets of my album at the "Directed Listening" section of my website, linked above.)
4) You're the man, b. My pleasure!
i've been a blue note aficionado for a good twenty years now. i was initially schooled by a jazz mentor who was the bass T.A. and a big band conductor of mine in college and by the 2 main guys at an amazing local record store at Penn State.
hank mobley quickly became my favorite artist and "Philly" Joe Jones & Paul Chambers ("Mr. P.C."), my favorite rhythm section. hank has always been called "underrated" and mention of his "round" tone and rhythmic prowess is ubiquitous. i'm still shocked & amazed that his composition skills haven't been more widely championed.
over a 15 year period, he wrote over 100 incredible jazz compositions for several different groups. he also had the uncanny ability to write specifically for horn players that were on that specific session and could knock out some serious charts on the session itself, in no time at all.
hank was an original Jazz Messenger w/ Horace Silver & Art Blakey. when that co-op band became 2 groups, hank played with - and wrote for - both bands. he also had a short run with Miles Davis in the early 60's, but miles didn't like hank's playing.
mobley was one the 'main' artists for Blue Note Records, from 1955-1970, as a leader, sideman and composer. he recorded 25 solo albums and the label has released over a half-dozen best of packages.
after a 2-year jail sentence (it was pretty common for jazzers to get thrown in the tank on heroin charges, but hank's first arrest on possession, came 3 years before he ever touched the stuff.), hank came back with a vengeance. in 60'-'61, he released a quartet of albums - Soul Station, Roll Call, Workout & Another Workout. the first 3 are fabulous, with Soul Station & Workout, considered to be Hank's "classics" (the latter being one of the very few albums he did as a quartet).
"The Mobe," had two other jail stints. must've been motivating and productive for him, because on another, he composed the incredible music for the Slice of the Top album, which featured 5 horns, including low brass. brilliant stuff in 1966, about a year before this type of writing and arranging became the norm.
hank was born in georgia and raised in newark, nj. he lived in chicago and paris, for a spell. died in a train station in philly in 1986 and received a nothing little 2-line, quick sentence obituary in the new york times.
6) Science dropped. Thanks, man!
One of the great Blue Note albums ever and maybe the best cover photo of all time! I love Hank Mobley and am always thrilled when a jazz cafe owner pulls him out on vinyl.
I forgot to mention that even though Grant Green was a relative newcomer to the scene at the time of this recording and release, it was the first time he was heard in a setting without organ. Another reason this is a monumental record, as Green went on to become a Blue Note star, in his own right.