What was that Mobley picture?

[wesbed]

I was reading through a thread at the BNBB, maybe a year ago, regarding Hank Mobley. The discussion was about how, at the end of his jazz life, Hank was playing with used/borrowed saxophones that leaked, etc..

The discussion evolved to a description of a picture of Mobley at the end of his tenure. Somebody wrote something like, “Yeah, I saw that picture and he looked like shit.”

Does anybody know this picture or a link to it?

Edited March 15, 2003 by wesbed

[JSngry]

It's in a Steeplechase Tete Montoliu CD, I WANNA TALK ABOUT YOU, where Hank guests on one cut, "Autumn Leaves". Here's the cover of the CD, which is still in-print.

[mikeb]

Dan Gould, I think, posted it on the BNBB ... that picture was worth a bazillion words. Hank looked like an empty shell of a man. Which I guess he was at that point.

[Brad]

I think it was either Dan or Greg but when I asked that they repost it, one of them said they'd lost the image. I remember when that picture was posted back in 1999 or 2000 and I remember saying at the time that I didn't want to see that picture again. I still don't want to see that picture.

[shawn·m]

I still don't want to see that picture.

Agreed. That photo’s burned into my memory, too. Sure wish I could flush it out.

[Chuck Nessa]

I have not seen the photo in question, but do have two other 8 x 10 prints from this recording session. While gray-haired, Hank looks fine in these photos. Maybe a bad choice was made for the cd package.

For those interested, Hank also recorded his "Early Morning Stroll" at that session.

[wesbed]

Does anybody have a copy of this (the Mobley) picture that could be posted?

[Rooster_Ties]

I'd be interested in seeing it too.

[Jazzdog]

I'm with Brad and Shawn (hey is that Barton Fink in your avatar?) I don't think I really want or need to see such a picture. Hank is my man, and I dont want to think of the withered sick old man he might have become. It's difficult to even imagine with such a fate. I'd rather relish the purity and beauty of his music!

[bertrand]

Chuck,

Is the 'Early Morning Stroll' recorded at the Montoliu session the same tune that appears on The Breakthrough? There is some confusion because on The Flip, 'Early Morning Stroll' is a different tune, and the one labeled '18th Hole' is identical to the one labeled 'Early Morning Stroll' on The Breakthrough.

Thanks,

Bertrand.

[Dan Gould]

Well, what happened is that I had the CD and sent a scan to Greg, who hosted it on his website and subsequently lost the image.

The good news is, I now have a scanner myself and could either post it on a new thread later tonite or else e-mail copies to people.

It was an interesting discussion-in addition to looking much older than he did at the end of his Blue Note career, I felt there was something very empty and hurt in Hank's eyes. Others said it looked like he was reading sheet music slightly off camera-and yet, the tune on the Cd is Autumn Leaves-he needed sheet music for that? But, as Chuck says, he recorded other tunes on the date but Autumn Leaves was regarded as releasable when the CD came out.

Anyway, I'll do something tonite, and post, maybe with a warning not to open if you don't wish to see "the picture".

[Guest ariceffron]

i juist got 10 min ago a 3 cd hank mobley bootleg set from europe. its pretty good. live workout is my favorite so far

[jazzbo]

Wow, that's great Aric. If anyone deserves to have that boot Mobley it's you!

Edited December 4, 2003 by jazzbo

[Dan Gould]

Guys, I tried my best to upload this sucker, made sure it was under 100K and an uploadable format but it won't happen for me!

I've sent it to B3er however, so hopefully he can do something.

Otherwise, I could send the image to people, if you can handle 1 MB attachments.

[EKE BBB]

I have not seen the photo in question, but do have two other 8 x 10 prints from this recording session. While gray-haired, Hank looks fine in these photos. Maybe a bad choice was made for the cd package.

For those interested, Hank also recorded his "Early Morning Stroll" at that session.

Yes, Chuck.

On that March 22, 1980 session for SteepleChase, Hank Mobley plays on "Autum leaves", on an unissued take of "I wanna talk about you" (there´s a trio version that was released in the LP and CD editions) and on an unissued "Early morning stroll".

The photo of Hank Mobley included in the inside artwork is not so depressing to these eyes. A gray haired man blowing his horn to a big microphone, eyes looking to another direction. Sorry but I don´t see that "empty and hurt in Hank´s eyes".

I´m afraid I have no scanner and can´t post this picture.

[EKE BBB]

Here it is:

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

I get the impression he was watching the pianist.

MG

[brownie]

I had already seen that photo! Wish I had never seen it

[paul secor]

Has anyone commented (here or on the BNBB) on Hank Mobley's playing on that session? That would seem to be more important than a photo.

[JSngry]

I've just heard tghe one released cut, and my first impression was that it was a bari player, that's how dark his tone was.

I think his playing sounds like a rougher version of the style heard on Breakthrough, which, depending on how you feel about that session, may or may not be dissuasive from pursuing the Steeplechase cut. Myself, I think he sounds wholly Mobley apart from the tone (and that too is pure Mobley at its core, in spite of the surface cloudiness). His lines, phrasing, and timing could come from nobody else.

But there is an air of combined sadness and desperation to the emotional vibe that is pretty gut-wrenching. Again, this is a lot like how I hear him on Breakthrough, but I'll readily admit that that's a totally subjective call.

[WD45]

The pic isn't that bad. People do get old.

[John Tapscott]

Yeah, but Hank was only 50 at the time, not old. I'm 50, and I don't look that bad ( I hope). Hank looks like a man in his 70's in that picture. Of course, the coroner estmated Bird's age at something like 55 when he died, though he was only 34.

[BruceH]

I have to say, after all the buildup about that picture, to me he doesn't look all that bad in it. People get old. So he looks a little older than his chronological age at the time? Hardly surprising considering the tough living many jazz musicians did, particularly of that generation. Hank is Hank and will always be Hank, that's how I see it.

[Chuck Nessa]

As I said earlier, I have other shots from this session and Hank looks fine in them. Salt and pepper hair, but that's it. This was just a poor choice for the cd booklet.