Hank Mobley ~ No Room For Squares

[Jazzrook]

Recently discovered Hank Mobley's 1963 album 'No Room For Squares' with Lee Morgan & Andrew Hill.
Knocked out by the title-track the intro of which is very reminiscent of a Frank Zappa composition circa 1969! I think it would make a great signature tune for JRR!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xcq_zg-Zw5k

[elmo]

Marvellous album Rook....... One of the first Blue Notes I bought as a teenager, wonderful lithe driving solo by Hank on "three way split" with masterful drumming from Philly Joe Jones. The ballad "Carolyn" has beautiful soulful solo's from Hank, Lee and Andrew Hill.

This album sounds just as good (perhaps even better) than it did when I first heard it in 1966 - Classic

Ian Thumwood generally seems to have a downer on Hard Bop and Hank in particular but I think even he would have to rate this one.

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

...yep Ian's oft eccentric tastes [and spelling] are a delight of da bored ...

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

Fine Album...If you get a chance, check out Hank's "Slice off the top" Bluenote album...tunes written by Mobley in prison, then arranged for a larger (all star) group by Duke Pearson, much postponed for release by BN, but HANK in really firey form...tone hardened up and he had been listening to Coltrane a lot "inside".

BN.

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

AMAZON...

"SLICE OFF THE TOP"..."the session he was most proud of, it was said. Done in 1966 it was at the height of Hank Mobley's powers.This octet added the wonderful Kiane Ziwadi (one of the great McKinney brothers from Detroit) on Euphonium a horn with a register deeper than a baritone but lighter than a Tuba which here is played by Howard Johnson. Add that to James Spalding the under recognized sideman on alto (after Jackie McLean) at the stable of Blue Note you have Tyner,Cranshaw and Higgins all giving this incredible horn section a rhythmic foundation. But it is the whole rather than some of it's parts with Mobleys witting and arranging (Pearson) skills which make this session a classic"

BN.

[Tenor Freak]

AMAZON...

"SLICE OFF THE TOP"..."the session he was most proud of, it was said. "

BN.

I'm listening to that now on Spotify. Very good indeed!

Still enjoy "Hi Voltage" (sic) after all these years. (Check out new avvy.)

[Jazzrook]

Pity it's so hard to find, Bluesnik. Around 30 quid on Amazon!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qq1X2tL2DJU

[elmo]

"Slice off the top" is a great album - Hank was involved in some fine albums around that period, I like the fact that he continued to develop his sound throughout his career. I like the later harder sound as much as the classsic round sound of "Soul Station".
Couple of really nice Hank sideman dates from the later periods include the weirdly titled Cal Massey tune "A pilgrim's funny farm" from Lee Morgan "The Rajah" album on Blue Note - Lovely Hank solo on this. Donald Byrd "Mustang" also B Note has a superb performance of "I got it bad and that ain't good" Hank's timing, tone, rhythmic sublety and soul says it all. Donald Byrd also playing at his best.

Tenor freak - Agree Hi Voltage is a stormer, cracking Jackie Mac on this one too.

Love the Dexter Gordon comment on Hank - "Hankenstein he's sooooooooooooo hip"........ AMEN.

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

I remember reading a (late 60s/early 70s ) interview with Mobley, around the time he was playing with Archie Shepp in Paris, that he now wanted to go in a semi-free direction and voicing something about taking over from Coltrane's lead . Art Pepper voiced similar ambitions at one point...Kids, don't do drugs.

Hank had a sad end...on one (disputed) account destitute on a station bench.

BN.

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

Don't forget that Ronnie Scott was a BIG supporter of Hank...he rescued him when Mobley arrived near-destitute at Heathrow on "spec" with just his tenor and a suitcase...I didn't see him at Ronnies then (late 60s) but the accounts at the time were that he had some great nights and some very "don't care" ones. There are some recordings of Hank live in Denmark that supposed to be excellent.

BN,

[elmo]

Don't forget that Ronnie Scott was a BIG supporter of Hank...he rescued him when Mobley arrived near-destitute at Heathrow on "spec" with just his tenor and a suitcase...I didn't see him at Ronnies then (late 60s) but the accounts at the time were that he had some great nights and some very "don't care" ones. There are some recordings of Hank live in Denmark that supposed to be excellent.

BN,

A poignant quote from an interview Hank did with (I think) John Litweiller in 1973 -

" It's hard for me to think what should have been, I lived with Charlie Parker, Bud Powell and Thelonious Monk; I walked with them up and down the street. I did not know what it mean't when I listened to them cry until it happened to me".

Throughout Hank's life he seemed to be underrated by everyone except musicians who recognised his talent. Jackie Mclean paid a nice tribute to Hank
"Hank is one of the most lyrical players in the history of Jazz and its a lyricism that comes naturally out of the man. The thing about Hank is that everything he does is organically melodic and harmonically the man is so astute. In terms of playing the changes you can't get any hipper than Hank".

I have got a tape of those Denmark recordings, they are quartet recordings with Kenny Drew, NHOP, Tootie Heath. The tapes are very good with long solo's by Hank really pushing the boundaries of "inside playing" Hank was still moving on.

Really nice performance on youtube (sorry don't know how to attach it) " The Mobe" Hank, Kenny Dorham, Sonny Clark, Art Taylor and bassist Jimmy Rowser from the album "Curtain Call" ..... Hard Bop heaven.

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

yeh yeh great .................

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

have to say that i have been playing the complete BN 50s sessions by mr mobley all day and they are something else and can certainly stand up to the miles prestige quintets ... surprisingly so ...

[elmo]

have to say that i have been playing the complete BN 50s sessions by mr mobley all day and they are something else and can certainly stand up to the miles prestige quintets ... surprisingly so ...

Calum - could not agree more - one of the lesser celebrated aspects of Hank's music is the quality of his compositions, not perhaps as distinctive as Horace Silver or Benny Golson or as forward looking as Wayne Shorter but within the Hard Bop school melodically interesting and quite quirky rhythmically.
There are lots of examples but Avila and Tequila, My Sin, Funk in deep freeze, East of Brooklyn, Peckin time, This I dig of you, Old world new imports, No room for squares, Justine all display an original approach to composition and excellent vehicles for improvisation.
I see there are a number of very good reasonably priced box sets just out for those who don't want to shell out for the Mosaic box ( though it is the best)
8 classic albums on 4 CD's - on the Real gone Jazz label, it includes Soul Station, Roll call, With Milt Jackson, Tenor Conclave, Hank, + 3 others all for £9 quid.
Perhaps even better, a 10 CDbox called Hank Mobley " Kind of Mobley" on the T2 Jazz label - this contains a wide selection of his work including the hard to get Hank Mobley Quartet sides originally on a Blue Note 10" from 1955. My mate got this for £16...... bargain.

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

certainly the compositional talent elmo but as well the sheer virtuosic ensemble work there are some great people on these albums and they are on good to top form ...quite stunning some of the tracks but all killer no filler as they say ...

go for any version you can find at yoour price point .... unmissable bop