Bill Mobley Jazz Orchestra - Live At Small's Vols. 1 & 2 (1996)

The difficulties of keeping a big band together are enormous, but trumpeter/flügelhornist Bill Mobley's efforts in the York City area pay off immensely, as documented in the first of two CDs recorded in 1996 at Small's. With some of the finest musicians based in the city (including Jon Gordon, Bill Easley, Greg Gisbert, and Tony Reedus, to name but a few) and several notable guests, this is a band that musicians will especially appreciate. Mobley's arrangement of pianist Mulgrew Miller's "Farewell to Dogma" is a masterpiece, never falling into predictability, and the solos by its composer and soprano saxophonist Billy Pierce add to the freshness of this performance. The leader's "49th Street" is a snappy reworking of the chord changes to "Lover," while his rich flügelhorn and Donald Brown's intense piano solo are the focus of Mobley's "Judgement Day." Other memorable charts, by Brown, Harold Mabern, and James Williams (all special guests on the two dates heard on this CD), are every bit as potent as Mobley's writing. This release is easily one of the most enjoyable large jazz ensemble recordings from the final decade of the 20th century, and post-bop fans should snap up this French release (and its companion second volume) without further ado. ~ by Ken Dryden, AMG. 

Space Time Records, BG 9805, 1997
Space Time Records, BG 9809, 1998
Recorded 17th & 18th September, 1996 Live at Smalls Jazz Club, Greenwich Village, NYC 

Musicians:
Bill Mobley - Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Leader
Andy Gravish, Craig Johnson, Greg Gisbert, Jim Rotondi - Trumpet
Pat Hallaran, Tim Sessions - Trombone
Mike Fahn - Trombone [Slide & Valve]
Tim Newman - Bass Trombone
Jay Brandford - Alto Saxophone, Flute
Jon Gordon - Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Flute
Mike Lee - Tenor Saxophone
Bill Easley - Tenor Saxophone, Flute, Clarinet
Ray Franks - Baritone Saxophone, Bass Clarinet, Flute
Matthew Fries - Piano
Bill Moring - Bass
Tony Reedus - Drums 

Guests:
Donald Brown, Harold Mabern, James Williams, Mulgrew Miller - Piano
Billy Pierce - Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone
Miles Griffith - Vocals

CD1:
1. Farewell To Dogma {Mulgrew Miller, Arr. Bill Mobley} (9:49)
featuring Billy Pierce, Mulgrew Miller
2. 49th Street {Bill Mobley, Arr. Bill Mobley} (8:59)
featuring Bill Mobley, Billy Pierce, Jay Brandford
3. Song For My Mother {Donald Brown, Arr. J. Schneider} (8:50)
featuring Billy Pierce, Donald Brown
4. Black Scholars {James Williams, Arr. Geoff Keezer} (9:48)
featuring James Williams, Mike Fahn, Miles Griffith
5. Judgement Day {Bill Mobley, Arr. J. Schneider} (10:46)
featuring Bill Mobley, Donald Brown
6. Alex The Great {Harold Mabern, Arr. Bill Mobley} (10:42)
featuring Bill Easley, Harold Mabern, Jon Gordon

CD2:

1. Second Thoughts {Mulgrew Miller, Arr. Bill Mobley} (12:58)
featuring Jon Gordon, Mulgrew Miller
2. Sudan Blue {Billy Pierce, Arr. Bill Mobley} (8:08)
featuring Billy Pierce, Donald Brown, Pat Hallaran
3. Chuck's Groove {Billy Pierce, Arr. Bill Mobley} (6:40)
featuring Andy Gravish, Bill Mobley, Billy Pierce, Jim Rotondi
4. Lament {J.J. Johnson, Arr. Bill Mobley} (6:45)
featuring Bill Mobley
5. For My Nephews {James Williams, Arr. Greg Hopkins} (10:05)
featuring Bill Easley, James Williams, Miles Griffith
6. Affaire D'Amour {Donald Brown, Arr. Bill Mobley} (10:00)
featuring Donald Brown, Jon Gordon 

Total Time: 58:54 + 54:36 

Credits:
Producer - Bill Mobley, Ray Franks
Executive-Producer - Walter H. Squindo
Recording Engineer - David Baker
Mastering Engineer - Raphaël Jonin
Liner Notes - Loren Schoenberg 

N.B.
Excess applause, lead-ins & commentary have been carefully trimmed and faded out.

Bill Mobley - Mob Scene Singularity (2004)

Mob Scene is a group of New York jazz musicians led by trumpeter Bill Mobley, saxophonist Danny Walsh and drummer Pete Davenport. On this recording of originals penned by the three leaders they are joined by the cream of the NY jazz scene. The Memphis-born trumpeter Bill Mobley has been a fixture on the NY jazz scene since 1987. He is well-known as the leader of the Smoke Big Band that performs weekly at the Smoke Jazz Club as well for fronting his own small groups. Personnel: Bill Mobley (trumpet & flugelhorn), Danny Walsh (alto sax, tenor sax & flute), Pete Davenport (drums), Joey Lundeford, Gary Versace (piano & hammond B3), Carlo de Rosa, Ed Schuller (bass) and others. ~ prestomusic.com. 

“There is like a musical rage which rustles under the music, intense and strong and the energy and the melodic verve are always present.” Once again, trumpeter Bill Mobley is an imperturbable conductor and arranger who always plays millimetric lines without seeming to touch them. ~ Jazz Magazine. 

Space Time Records, BG 2523, 2007
Recorded between 2002 and 2004 at:
Brooklyn Port O Call Studio, New York
Peter Karl Studios, Brooklyn, New York 

Musicians:
Bill Mobley - Trumpet, Flugelhorn
Danny Walsh - Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Flute
Pete Davenport - Drums 

Mob Scene Artists:
Maria Lazzaro - Flute
Andy Strasmich - Bass Flute, Flute
Matt Hughes - Arco Bass (#1)
Gary Versace - Piano, Organ [Hammond B-3] (#2,6,7)
Joey Lunceford - Piano (#3-5,7)
Carlos DeRosa - Bass (#1,2,4)
Ed Schuller - Bass (#3,5-7)
Dave Jensen - Tenor Saxophone (#5)
Ed MacEachen - Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar (#6) 

Tracks:
1. Ontogeny {Bill Mobley} (4:56)
2. I Remember JW {Bill Mobley} (9:24)
3. Warlords {Danny Walsh} (9:47)
4. Ballet High {Bill Mobley} (7:54)
5. Miss Bennett {Bill Mobley} (11:14)
6. Stevie {Bill Mobley} (8:17)
7. Dimensions {Pete Davenport} (11:49) 

Total Time: 63:21 

Credits:
Producer - Bill Mobley
Producer, Recording - Pete Davenport
Recording Engineer - Jonathan Townes, Peter Karl
Mixing Engineer - Romain Frydman
Mastering Engineer - Antoine Demanke 

Ballet High

Bill Mobley & The Smoke Big Band - Live At Smoke, Vol. 1 & 2 (2011)

'Live at Smoke' is the newest recording from trumpeter Bill Mobley and features him at the head of the renowned Smoke Big Band. This exceptional ensemble has a regular Monday night gig at the celebrated club located on Broadway, New York City and this double CD captures them at their very best. The recording features originals from Mobley and his band mates together with compositions by James Williams and Tony Williams, and two standards. Twelve of the albums thirteen tracks are arranged by the trumpeter, a veteran of the Mingus Dynasty and Maria Schneider Orchestra, and each selection is filled with a sense of exhilaration, dense and distinctive harmonies, and stirring solos. ~ Amazon.com. 

Space Time Records, BG 1134, 2012
Recorded 21st April, 2011 at Smoke Jazz & Supper Club, New York City 

Musicians:
Bill Mobley - Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Leader
Seneca Black - Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Leader
Mat Jodrell - Trumpet, Flugelhorn
Andy Gravish - Trumpet, Flugelhorn
Chris Persad - Trumpet, Flugelhorn
Tim Sessions - Trombone
Noah Bless - Trombone
Pete McGuinnes - Trombone, Vocals
Joe Gordon - Alto & Soprano Saxophones, Flute
Vito Chiavuzzo - Alto Saxophone, Flute
Jed Levy - Tenor Saxophone, Clarinet, Flute
Danny Walsh - Tenor Saxophone, Flute
Andrew Gutauskas - Baritone Saxophone, Bass Clarinet, Flute
Jon Davis - Piano
Phil Palombi - Bass
Scott Neumann - Drums 

Special Guests:
Bill Easley - Clarinet (Laura)
Thomas Heflin - Trumpet (Arioso)
Scott Reeves - Trombone (Arioso) 

CD1:
1. I Remember JW {Bill Mobley} (10:09)
2. The Hymnotist {Bill Mobley} (7:35)
3. Time Riff {Bill Mobley} (8:30)
4. Eastern Star {Bill Mobley} (4:48)
5. Four Play {James Williams} (5:50)
6. Laura {David Raksin} (8:09)
7. Eds Groove {Jon Gordon} (9:17) 

Time: 54:23 

CD2:
1. Upper West Side Story {Bill Mobley} (8:29)
2. Sister Cheryl {Tony Williams} (8:26)
3. Travelogue {Jed Levy} (7:02)
4. A Glance In Frozen Time {Bill Mobley} (7:16)
5. Arioso {James Williams; Arr. Scott Reeves} (9:57)
6. But Not For Me {George & Ira Gershwin} (6:23) 

Time: 47:37 

Total Time: 01:42:00 

Credits:
Producer - Bill Mobley, Blue Geodesics
Executive Producer - Walter H. Squindo
Production - Xavier Felgeyrolles
Recording & Mixing Engineer - Paul Stache, David Stoller
Mastering Engineer - Kevin Blackler
Photos - Adriano Mattero
Design - Natalia [Cargo Design] 

See also: www.billmobley.net. 

Arioso

Bill Mobley - Black Elk's Dream (2013)

Bill Mobley's new album Black Elk's Dream is dedicated to Sioux Indian Black Elk, whose famous book "The End of the Dream" (1932) dealt with the plight of Native Americans. Recorded "live" at the Jazz en Tête international festival, Bill Mobley conducts a luxury Franco-American sextet coupled with a very famous chamber orchestra (21 Strings): the Orchester d'Auvergne. The repertoire gives equal weight to originals and standards. One thing is certain: Billy Pierce is imperial (tenor or soprano), Stéphane Guillaume plays more awesome than ever (on the alto, but also on the flute and the bass clarinet), the young classical violinist Maud Lovett is remarkable, and as always, Bill Mobley plays chiseled solos, on the flugelhorn as on the trumpet. The rhythm is really top notch: Manuel Rocheman on the piano, the Italian-American bassist Phil Palombi and the fantastic Billy Kilson on drums. Donald Brown joins the set on one of his compositions, funkier & baroque than ever (the beautiful violinists were captivated!). In this album, the strings are neither Hollywood dancers nor demi-mondaines on the go. And question of writing for the strings, the original work of Bill Mobley already marks the spirits. ~ www.fnac.com. [Translated from French] 

Space Time Records, BG 1337, 2013
Recorded 24th October, 2012 Live at the Jazz en Tête Festival, Clermont-Ferrand, France 

Musicians:
Bill Mobley - Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Leader
Billy Pierce - Soprano Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone
Stéphane Guillaume - Alto Saxophone, Flute, Bass Clarinet
Manuel Rocheman - Piano (#1-6)
Phil Palombi - Bass
Billy Kilson - Drums
Donald Brown - Piano, Keyboards (#7,8)
Maud Lovett - Violin (#4,5)
Orchestre d'Auvergne 

Tracks:
1. Dream Team {Xavier Felgeyrolles} (6:11)
2. Four {Miles Davis} (7:26)
3. The Touch Of Your Lips {Ray Noble} (9:45)
4. Black Elk's Dream, Pt. 1 {Bill Mobley} (6:52)
5. Black Elk's Dream, Pt. 2 {Bill Mobley} (7:49)
6. Alex The Great {Harold Mabern} (11:34)
7. The People Who Live On Hope Street, Pt. 1 {Donald Brown} (9:57)
8. The People Who Live On Hope Street, Pt. 2 {Donald Brown} (5:36) 

Total Time: 65:13 

Four

Bill Mobley - Moodscape (2007)

Mobley, well respected among musicians but sorely under-exposed, puts it all on the line in this terrific CD. Right from his entrance on Ray Noble's "The Touch of Your Lips," he invites you to be caressed by his beautiful, warm tone and subtle articulations. Pianist Mulgrew Miller, another artist deserving wider exposure - comps and stretches out with taste and command. "This Is The End Of A Beautiful Friendship" swings. Here Mobley's trumpet covers the standard's changes with a lyric, no-cliches feel and with gymnastic improvisational surprise. Bassist Robert Hurst's gentle push and drummer Eric Harland's tasteful, yet never overbearing cymbal work are both an absolute treat. On Jimmy Dorsey's beautiful "I'm Glad There Is You," Mobley's tone is simply beautiful, expressive and vocal. Miller and team interplay and support without stepping on toes. Mobley follows Lee Morgan in this trumpeter/composer tradition with the interesting offerings, "The Hymnotist" and "Time Riff." Mobley shows ability to work some terrific rhythmic variety in his solo work on both his composed charts. Mobley delivers Duke Ellington's "Prelude To A Kiss" simply beautifully, beautifully simple. "For Once In My Life," is the weak entry here. It's a bit too "club date-ish" when juxtaposed with the other terrific selections presented on the CD. Horserace brushes scoot you from the gate on "You and the Night and the Music." Mobley's Harmon-muted solo scampers crystal clean and is reminiscent of the speed and clarity of "speed clean harmonizing," Clark Terry. "Eastern Star," the final track, is a Mobley composition, dedicated to the late, great pianist James Williams. Miller's dream-like intro sets the stage for Mobley's dark, expressive, meditative melody. Harland's cymbal and drum work adds exotic flair. Overall, Mobley's work is highly impressive and intriguing here, an exciting trumpeter blipping and bebopping his way smack onto jazz radar screens. It's certainly about time - and talent. ~ Extract by Nicholas F Mondello, AAJ. 

Space Time Records, BG 2725, 2007
Recorded 9th, 10th January & 22nd August, 2007 at Systems Two Studios, Brooklyn, NY

Musicians:
Bill Mobley - Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Arranger
Mulgrew Miller - Piano
Robert Hurst - Bass
Eric Harland - Drums 

Tracks:
1. The Touch Of Your Lips {Ray Noble} (6:13)
2. This Is The End Of A Beautiful Friendship {Gus Kahn, Jule Styne} (6:13)
3. I'm Glad There Is You {Jimmy Dorsey, Paul Mertz} (8:04)
4. The Hymnotist {Bill Mobley} (6:16)
5. Time Riff {Bill Mobley} (6:16)
6. Prelude To A Kiss {Duke Ellington, Irving Gordon, Irving Mills} (5:58)
7. For Once In My Life {Ronald Miller, Orlando Murden} (6:45)
8. You And The Night And The Music {Howard Dietz, Arthur Schwartz} (5:03)
9. Eastern Star {Bill Mobley} (4:21) 

Total Time: 55:09 

Credits:
Producer - Xavier Felgeyrolles, Blue Geodesics
Executive-Producer – Walter H. Squindo
Recording & Mixing Engineer - Joe Marciano
Photography - Michel Vasset 

I'm Glad There Is You

Bill Mobley - Mean What You Say (1999)

Here, we have Bill’s second album as a leader and the first on Space Time Records. After releasing “Triple Bill” in 1996, Mobley went on to play as sideman for a number of well-known jazz artisans, including Donald Brown, Alan Dawson, Bill Easley, Geoff Keezer and Harold Mabern to name a few. Essentially, by the time he went to formulate this album he was well on his way as a noted trumpeter and composer. On this album he hand-picks a relatively similarly youthful team of players including: pianist Donald Brown, guitarist Jérôme Barde, bassist Essiet Essiet and drummer Billy Kilson. The album is structured around two quintet, three quartet and three duet groupings. The first three tunes are his own, the remaining compositions well-known jazz standards. Overall, the album clearly demonstrates a continued improvement in his delivery and will certainly appeal to any trumpet fan. 

Space Time Records, BG 9911, 1999
Recorded 1st-2nd April, 1999 at Studio Sysmo, Paris, France 

Musicians:
Bill Mobley - Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Arranger
Donald Brown - Piano (#1-4,6-8)
Jérôme Barde - Guitar (#1-2)
Essiet Essiet - Bass (#1-3,5-6,8)
Billy Kilson - Drums (#1-3,6,8) 

Tracks:
1. Twilight {Bill Mobley} (6:36)
2. New Light {Bill Mobley} (8:13)
3. Annie's Fan {Bill Mobley} (7:16)
4. Sophisticated Lady {Duke Ellington} (9:15)
5. Mean What You Say {Thad Jones} (6:15)
6. Love Walked In {George Gershwin} (6:44)
7. Pent Up House {Sonny Rollins} (5:07)
8. Out Of Nowhere {John Greene} (7:47) 

Total Time: 57:13 

Credits:
Producer - Bill Mobley
Executive-Producer - Walter H. Squindo
Recording Engineer - Pierre Bornard
Mastering Engineer - Raphaël Jonin 

Love Walked In

Bill Easley - First Call (1990)

The versatile alto and tenor saxophonist Bill Easley (who on other projects also plays other reeds) is showcased in top form on this CD, performing on two dates with a pair of overlapping groups. Assisted along the way by trumpeter Bill Mobley on five of the numbers, either Sir Roland Hanna or James Williams on piano, and George Caldwell's synthesizer for four of the eight songs, Easley is the main star throughout. He puts plenty of feeling into "It's All in the Game," takes "How Long Has This Been Going On" at a surprisingly fast pace, cooks on "Little Benny," and emulates Sonny Stitt on "Blues for Stitt." Although he has spent much of his career in the background, uplifting other singers and musicians' sessions in addition to working in the studios, Bill Easley shows on this set that he is fully capable of being the leader. This is one of his strongest efforts. ~ by Scott Yanow, AMG. 

Milestone Records, MCD-9186-2, 1991
Recorded 22nd, 29th October, 1990 

Musicians:
Bill Easley - Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone
Bill Mobley - Trumpet (#3-6,8)
Roland Hanna- Piano (#1,2,7,8)
James Williams - Piano (#3-6)
George Caldwell - Synthesizer (#2,4,5,7)
J. J. Wiggins - Bass (#1,2,7,8)
Dave Jackson - Bass (#3-6)
Grady Tate - Drums 

Tracks:
1. It's All In The Game {Charles G. Dawes, Carl Sigman} (6:22)
2. Somewhere Along The Way {Kurt Adams, Sammy Gallop} (5:57)
3. How Long Has This Been Going On {George Gershwin} (7:36)
4. Oh, What A Dream {Chuck Willis} (8:16)
5. Soulful Bill {James Williams} (5:51)
6. Blues For Stitt {Bill Easley} (6:02)
7. Prelude To A Kiss {Duke Ellington, Irving Gordon, Irving Mills} (6:25)
8. Little Benny [aka Crazeology] {Bud Freeman, Benny Harris, Charlie Parker} (4:12)

Total Time: 50:41 

Credits:
Producer - Bob Porter
Engineer - Malcolm Addey
Assistant Engineer - Ron Allaire
Digital Mastering - George Horn
Art Direction - Phil Carroll
Photography - Frank Lindner
Design - Gilles Margerin
Liner Notes - Stuart Troup