Hank Mobley – Hank: BN Tone Poet (180g Mono Vinyl LP)

All-Analog 180g Mono Vinyl LP of Hank Mobley’s Hank: Blue Note Tone Poet Reissue Mastered From the Original Master Tapes by Kevin Gray and Pressed at RTI

Tenor saxophonist Hank Mobley made his first appearance on Blue Note Records in 1954 as a member of The Jazz Messengers under the leadership of Horace Silver and began leading his own dates the following year marking the start of a fruitful 15-year run on the label. Mobley was still establishing his unique identity as an improvisor with a lyrical, swinging style and as a composer of note on his early Blue Note sides including the 1957 sextet album Hank (BLP 1560) featuring Donald Byrd on trumpet, John Jenkins on alto sax, Bobby Timmons on piano, Wilbur Ware on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums. Side One presents two enticing Mobley originals – “Fit For A Hanker” and “Hi Groove, Low Feedback” – while Side Two features a brisky, jaunt through Cole Porter’s “You’d Be So Easy to Love” and an elegant performance of the Styne-Cahn ballad “Time After Time” before closing with a hard-charging romp on Bud Powell’s “Dance of the Infidels.”

The Tone Poet Audiophile Vinyl Reissue Series was born out of Blue Note President Don Was’ admiration for the exceptional audiophile Blue Note LP reissues presented by Music Matters. Was brought Joe Harley, a.k.a. the “Tone Poet,” on board to curate and supervise a series of reissues from the Blue Note family of labels.

Extreme attention to detail has been paid to getting these right in every conceivable way, from the jacket graphics and printing quality to superior LP mastering (direct from the master tapes) by Kevin Gray to superb 180g audiophile LP pressings by Record Technology Inc. Every aspect of these Tone Poet releases is done to the highest possible standard. It means that you will never find a superior version. This is IT.

This mono Tone Poet Vinyl Edition was produced by Joe Harley, mastered by Kevin Gray (Cohearent Audio) from the original analog master tapes, pressed on 180g vinyl at Record Technology Inc. (RTI), and packaged in a deluxe gatefold tip-on jacket.

Musicians:

Hank Mobley – Tenor Saxophone
Donald Byrd – Trumpet
John Jenkins – Alto Saxophone
Bobby Timmons – Piano
Wilbur Ware – Bass
Philly Joe Jones – Drums

Side A:

1. Fit For A Hanker
2. Hi Groove, Low Feed-Back

Side B:

1. Easy To Love
2. Time After Time
3. Dance Of The Infidels