In this corner!
The Middleweight Champion of the Tenor Saxophone!
Hank Mobley!
This is how British born Jazz journalist Leonard Feather, famously described the artistry of Hank Mobley. Many take this as Mobley being a mediocre musician, when in all actuality the complete opposite is true. What Feather meant by this famous quotation is where Mobley’s bop style sat with in the genre at the time. His subtle, melodic playing was not as aggressive as Coltrane’s. Nor was it as mellow as Getz’. He was one of the most underrated bop musicians of the time and it was not until his after his death that connoisseurs really began to appreciate his style. He worked with everyone from Diz, right down to Art Blakey, when he became a prominent member of the acclaimed Jazz Messengers. Along with becoming a leader himself in the 60’s really bringing “Hard Bop” to the forefront of Jazz.
To this I say Happy Birthday Hank!
In doing some research it is nearly impossible to find any videos of Hank live in action. Because of this I will just post a recording of one of my favorite tunes from his album Soul Station. This tune is Remember.
Tags: Art Blakey, Art Blakey and the Jazz Messangers, Benefit, Bop, Dizzy Gillespie, Hank Mobley, Hard Bop, Jazz, Jazz Messangers, John Coltrane, Leonard Feather, Remember, Saxophone, Soul Station, Stan Getz, Tenor Saxophone
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