Hank Mobley Poppin' 180g LP

Hank Mobley was famously called the "middleweight champion of the tenor saxophone" with a round sound and an incredible rhythmic lightness on his feet that won the admiration of legions of tenor saxophone players. This remarkable session from 1957 somehow was left on the shelf in the rush of Blue Note releases that year. With an incredible cast of bop giants: Art Farmer on trumpet, Pepper Adams on baritone saxophone, Sonny Clark on piano, and the incredible rhythm team of Paul Chambers on bass and Philly Joe Jones on drums. Mobley's "East of Brooklyn" on this date is a masterpiece of lyrical construction and just one of the album's many highlights.

Tone Poet Audiophile Vinyl Reissue Series: "Tone Poet" Joe Harley--co-founder and co-producer of the acclaimed Music Matters audiophile vinyl series--is the producer of this new series of all-analog, mastered-from-the-original-master-tape 180g audiophile vinyl reissues in deluxe gatefold packaging. Mastering was done by Kevin Gray (Cohearent Audio) and vinyl was manufactured at Record Technology Incorporated (RTI). The titles were handpicked by Harley and cover lesser-known Blue Note classics, modern era standouts, and albums from other labels under the Blue Note catalog.

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 180 gm audiophile LP pressings by Record Technology Inc. Every aspect of these Blue Note/Tone Poet releases is done to the highest possible standard. It means that you will never find a superior version. This is IT.

The so-called Tone Poet (Joe Harley) is confident that his audiophile reissues will allow 21st-century listeners to hear what the musicians heard as the master tape was played back on the studio monitors in Rudy Van Gelder's studio 50 or 60 years ago. He believes that, in terms of quality, Blue Note albums have never sounded or looked better. "Every aspect of these Blue Note releases is done to the highest possible standard," he says. "It means that you will never find a superior version."

Leading a sextet featuring trumpeter Art Farmer, baritone saxophonist Pepper Adams, pianist Sonny Clark, bassist Paul Chambers, and drummer Philly Joe Jones, Mobley plays a selection of five originals and contemporary jazz songs with passion and vigor. All of the musicians turn in fine performances (Clark in particular stands out with his lithe solos and tasteful accompaniment), and the result is a winning collection of straight-ahead hard bop that ranks as another solid addition to Mobley's strong catalog.