Hank Mobley – Hank Mobley And His All Stars

Hank Mobley – tenor saxophone

Milt Jackson – vibes

Horace Silver – piano

Doug Watkins – bass

Art Blakey – drums

Recorded 13th January 1957. Van Gelder Studio, Hackensack This release 1996 on Blue Note.

Review by Scott Yanow:

This CD is a straight reissue of a Hank Mobley LP that features the “Who’s Who” of late-’50s hard bop: the tenor-leader, vibraphonist Milt Jackson, pianist Horace Silver, bassist Doug Watkins and drummer Art Blakey. The quintet performs five Mobley compositions (best is the lyrical “Mobley’s Musings”), songs that are generally more interesting for their chord changes than for their melodies, which is probably why none of them became standards. One’s attention is constantly drawn to the inventive solos and Art Blakey’s roaring “accompaniment.” An above-average effort from some of the best.

01. Reunion

02. Ultra Marine

03. Don’t Walk

04. Lower Stratosphere

05. Mobley’s Musings