Late work by tenor
giant Hank Mobley - and a really unique session that stands out from his other
Blue Note work of the time! The set was recorded in Paris with an ultra-hip
lineup - one that features Dizzy Reece on trumpet and Slide Hampton on trombone
- both fresh players alongside Hank's work on tenor sax, making for really
wonderful phrasing and timing in the front line! The bottom's pretty great, too
- with wicked rhythms from Philly Joe Jones on drums, at a level that bounces
around with a growing sense of soul - yet still has all the complex colors of
Mobley's classic work. The balance is beautiful - as fresh as the image on the
cover - and the album's one that we'd rank right up there with The Phantom by
Duke Pearson and Slow Drag by Donald Byrd - overlooked gems that show some
great Blue Note growth in the late 60s. Titles include "The Flip",
"Feelin' Folksy", and "Snappin' Out". © Dusty Groove,
Inc.
Blue Note, BST
84329, 1970
Recorded 12th
July, 1969 at Studio Barclay, Paris, France
Musicians:
Hank Mobley - Tenor Saxophone
Dizzy Reece - Trumpet
Slide Hampton - Trombone
Vince Benedetti - Piano
Alby Cullaz - Bass
Philly Joe Jones - Drums
Tracks:
A1. The Flip (9:02)
A2. Feelin' Folksy (8:29)
B1. Snappin' Out (7:13)
B2. 18th Hole (5:59)
B3. Early Morning Stroll
(6:52)
All compositions by Hank
Mobley
Total Time: 37:35
Credits:
Producer - Francis Wolff
Recording Engineer - Jacques
Yves Barral
Rerecording Engineer, Lacquer
Cut - Rudy van Gelder
Cover Design - Bob Venosa,
Havona
Art Direction - Frank Gauna
Liner Notes - Leonard Feather
Leonard Feather once hailed Hank Mobley as
"the middleweight champion of the tenor saxophone." Mobley was better
than that. An exquisite soul messenger, Mobley was criticized for not being as
aggressive, voluminous, or trailblazing as his contemporaries. Indeed, he was
not. Instead, his music was steeped in care, precision and nuances. In Mobley's
hands, such treatment often dazzled, as on this Blue Note LP, The Flip. He's
supported by an excellent crew of international musicians, including Dizzy
Reece on trumpet, Slide Hampton on trombone, Vince Benedetti on piano, Alby
Cullaz on bass and Philly Joe Jones on drums. All the tunes on The Flip were
composed by Mobley and are built around his strengths of soul, swing, and
subtlety. Listen to the opening statements of the title track, the punch of the
horns, the dance of the rhythm section, and the sheer joy of it all. It's a
vicious groove by all accounts, as the members revel in this boogaloo scene.
The charms do not end with Mobley, either. Hampton's trombone wailings are
often clever and valuable throughout the album. Check out Reece's trumpet solos
on "Snappin' Out," and "18th Hole." Jones, as always, is
beyond compliments. The true surprise on this album is the pianist, Benedetti.
His accompaniments are in excellent taste, as are those of Cullaz. True, this
album and its composer will never be within the ranks of the most influential,
the most revered, or even the most downloaded. Fine. Besides, as a provocateur
of beauty, Mobley is in a class all his own. ~ excerpts from Germein Linares,
All About Jazz.
