Tenor saxophonist
Hank Mobley recorded frequently for Blue Note in the 1960s (six albums from 1967-1970) and, although overshadowed by the flashier and more avant-garde players,
Mobley's output was consistently rewarding. For this overlooked session, which was not issued until 1980 and then finally reissued on CD in 1988, a regular contingent of top Blue Note artists (
Mobley, trumpeter
Lee Morgan, altoist
James Spaulding, pianist
Cedar Walton, bassist
Walter Booker, and drummer
Billy Higgins) are joined by a wild card, guitarist
Sonny Greenwich. The music is mostly in the hard bop vein, with hints of modality and the gospel-ish piece "Give Me That Feelin'," but
Greenwich's three solos are a bonus and the performances of five
Mobley originals and one by
Morgan are up to the usual caliber of Blue Note's releases. Pity that this one has been lost in the shuffle. ~ Scott Yanow