Hank Mobley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Hank Mobley
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Mobley c. 1956
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Henry Mobley |
| Born | July 7, 1930 Eastman, Georgia, U.S. |
| Died | May 30, 1986 (aged 55) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Genres | Jazz, hard bop, soul jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, composer |
| Instruments | Tenor saxophone |
| Years active | 1949–1986 |
| Labels | Blue Note, Prestige, Savoy |
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Henry "Hank" Mobley (born July 7, 1930 – died May 30, 1986) was an American jazz musician. He played the tenor saxophone and wrote many songs. Hank Mobley was known for his smooth and melodic style. Some people called him the "middleweight champion of the tenor saxophone." This meant his sound was not too strong, like John Coltrane, and not too soft, like Lester Young. Many people today think he was one of the most important musicians of the hard bop jazz style.
Contents
Early Life and Musical Start
Hank Mobley was born in Eastman, Georgia. He grew up in Elizabeth, New Jersey. His family loved music, and his uncle played in a jazz band. When Hank was a child, he first learned to play the piano.
When he was 16, Hank got sick and had to stay home for several months. His grandmother bought him a saxophone to help him pass the time. That's when he started playing the saxophone. He tried to go to a music school, but he couldn't. So, he studied music by reading books at home.
Becoming a Jazz Star
First Steps in Music (1949-1956)
When Hank Mobley was 19, he started playing with local bands. Soon after, he worked with famous musicians like Dizzy Gillespie and Max Roach. Max Roach helped Mobley get noticed in the New York jazz scene in 1951. Over the next two years, Mobley began writing and recording his own music. He also played with the Duke Ellington Orchestra.
In 1953, Max Roach hired Mobley to play on an album called The Max Roach Quartet featuring Hank Mobley. After this, Mobley started working with another famous drummer, Art Blakey. Mobley and Blakey were part of some of the first hard bop recordings. They played with pianist Horace Silver, bassist Doug Watkins, and trumpeter Kenny Dorham. These recordings became the album Horace Silver and the Jazz Messengers.
This group was known as The Jazz Messengers. Mobley also played on their live album At the Cafe Bohemia. In 1955, Mobley used the Jazz Messengers' band to record his first album for Blue Note Records, called Hank Mobley Quartet.
The Blue Note Years (1956-1970)
Hank Mobley recorded many albums for Blue Note Records in the late 1950s and 1960s. He played with many great musicians like Lee Morgan, Donald Byrd, Art Farmer, and Wynton Kelly. His old bandmates from The Jazz Messengers, Horace Silver, Doug Watkins, and Art Blakey, also played on some of his albums.
In 1960, Mobley released two of his most famous albums: Soul Station and Roll Call. Many people consider Soul Station to be his best work. The Grammy Awards website called it "effortlessly elegant." The Guardian newspaper gave both Soul Station and Roll Call five stars. They praised Mobley's "infinite subtlety" and his skill as a composer.
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During this time, Mobley also played with the famous Miles Davis band for a short period in 1961. He appeared on Davis's album Someday My Prince Will Come. Around this time, Mobley changed his sound to be a bit stronger.
In 1961, Mobley recorded two more of his own albums, Workout and Another Workout. Another Workout was not released until much later, in 1985. Mobley often practiced a lot before his recording sessions. Alfred Lion, who helped produce the albums, would often guide the band to make sure the music sounded just right.
Mobley continued to record regularly through the mid-1960s. Some other well-known albums from this time include A Caddy for Daddy, Hi Voltage, and The Flip.
Later Years and Legacy
Retirement (1970-1986)
One of Hank Mobley's last albums, Breakthrough!, was recorded in 1972. He played with musicians like Charles Davis and Cedar Walton.
In the mid-1970s, Mobley had to stop playing music because of lung problems. He passed away in 1986 from pneumonia and lung cancer.
His Lasting Impact
Even though some critics didn't always praise his music, Hank Mobley found his place in jazz history. Jazz radio host Bob Perkins described Mobley's style as "round, throaty, and distinctive."
In 2020, a company called Mosaic Records released a large collection of Mobley's Blue Note recordings. This helped more people discover his amazing music. Some of Mobley's albums were not released for many years after he recorded them. For example, his album Poppin' was recorded in 1957 but wasn't released until 23 years later!
Many musicians today are influenced by Hank Mobley. For example, jazz trumpeter Bruce Harris has said Mobley influenced him. Mobley's unique style and compositions continue to be important in the world of jazz.
Discography
Images for kids
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Mobley c. 1956
See also
In Spanish: Hank Mobley para niños
