The opening selection on this CD ("Reach Out, I'll Be There") is surprisingly commercial, with
George Benson's guitar in the lead, not sounding at all like a
Hank Mobley Blue Note record. A somewhat insipid version of "Goin' Out of My Head" is a disappointment too. The other four numbers (three of which are
Mobley originals) on this 1997 reissue are on a higher level. The 21st of
Hank Mobley's 23 Blue Note albums (not counting those only released thus far in Japan) features a promising group (
Mobley on tenor, trumpeter
Woody Shaw, guitarist
Benson, pianist Lamont Johnson, bassist
Bob Cranshaw and drummer
Billy Higgins) performing the diverse repertoire. Thanks to the two duds, the overall results do not live up to their potential, although 24 minutes of this CD are worth hearing! ~ Scott Yanow