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 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