Hank Mobley In Europe 1968 - 70

[mikeweil]

Just my thoughts!

[johnlitweiler]

Thanks for the photos, Brownie. On Hank's good days he dressed well and looked great.

Poor Hank was severely alcoholic and a lot of his other problems followed from that. There was a well-known (at least here in Chicago) incident before he moved to Europe in mid-'60s. He and Kenny Dorham were to play a concert for Joe Segal here. Hank was on a plane up in the air before he realized that he'd forgotten his saxophone. He created such a fuss that the pilot flew the plane back to New York. After he got home that day he decided not to make that Chicago gig after all - too much trouble, he reportedly said.

While he was living here, ca. 1972, Joe was running the Jazz Showcase on Rush St. and booked Hank to lead his quintet weekly, each Tues. or Wed. Hank didn't show up that first night, or the second either - Joe was really forgiving with people he admired - but Joe wouldn't take any chances on Hank after that.

Hank led a hell of a band in those days - Frank Gordon, Muhal, Rufus Reid, Wilbur Campbell. Hank And Eddie Harris led their bands at a concert for IDAP, the Illinois methadone program that Wilbur directed (his day gig). Big crowd of IDAP clients at the Medinah Temple. At intermission, incredibly huge crowds going in and out of the rest rooms. During Hank's set, the last of the evening, two security men on the ground floor came down the aisle, picked up a man seemingly asleep in his seat, carried him out. I was in the balcony where people were rushing to the edge to watch. In just a couple of minutes most of the people there left and Hank finished his set to a 1/4-filled hall. Too bad, Hank was playing beautifully but the audience was the show.

Sidewinder, thank you for that article. Now I want to find that Wilmer interview with Hank.

[EKE BBB]

Thanks for sharing those photos, brownie!

:tup

[Roundsound]

It's interesting that Hank was wearing a tie and looking very Mr. 1950's, when Blakey and Dizzy were in more modern garb.

[Gheorghe]

It's interesting that Hank was wearing a tie and looking very Mr. 1950's, when Blakey and Dizzy were in more modern garb.

Yes, I also noticed that.

And, Brownie really should write a book. I´d be glad to buy it. It must have been a dream to live in Paris during the 50´s , 60´s. So many great musicians.....

[brownie]

Yeah, we're still waiting for that book!

Doubt that a book will ever see the light.

Not sure there is enough of a market for a top quality volume of jazz photos which is what I would want.

What I would not want would be to have one of those photo books with badly reproduced images.

[EKE BBB]

Yeah, we're still waiting for that book!

Doubt that a book will ever see the light.

Not sure there is enough of a market for a top quality volume of jazz photos which is what I would want.

What I would not want would be to have one of those photo books with badly reproduced images.

Organissimo = 4.000+ members

There would be a market for it!

[Gheorghe]

It could be a small book just with your memories. There´s not so many people who witnessed all that, got in touch with all those greats.

Francis Paudras did a great job with his "Le danse des infidèles", wich I purchased in it´s first edition in french in 1986, even if my french is bad and I read it only because of my knowledge of the romanian language, which helped me to read in french.

Anyway, that was a book only about Bud, which is great since I´m a Bud-addict, but there were so many great musicians living or at least working in Paris.....

[JohnS]

Reminds me of my folks accidentally wiping a heap of BBC jazz broadcasts I had on VHS including Jazz 625s, the Swedish jazz film 'Sven Klang's Combo' and film of Lester Bowies Brass Fantasy at Bath Festival with footage of me in the audience standing on seat. Of course, none of that was ever repeated.

Bob, I think I copied my VHS recording of Brass Fantasy onto dvd. If I can find it I'll give it a play.

[king ubu]

I fully understand that brownie!

Still, I wish there were a market for books like that!

[Big Beat Steve]

Yeah, we're still waiting for that book!

Doubt that a book will ever see the light.

Not sure there is enough of a market for a top quality volume of jazz photos which is what I would want.

What I would not want would be to have one of those photo books with badly reproduced images.

OTOH if there is a market for the Eddy Wiggins book (professional photos but relatively limited text) and for Nicas' "Three Wishes" book (a good deal of the pics look rather amateurish, yet this does not detract much from their appeal) I wonder if there wouldn't be a specialist market for a book that fills a niche somewhere in between (with regard to the location of the action and the era covered) after all.

Like Gheorghe said, memoirs and all ...

I'd buy (or even preorder) a copy unseen ...

[johnlitweiler]

Brownie, how about an e-book of photos?

[Moko]

There's been a real revolution in book publishing with the advent of ebooks/kindle you can just do it yourself without the problems of trying to interest a publisher (the setup costs are very low so even with few sales money can be made).

But jazz is a world wide interest and in some areas (Japan for instance is still fairly mainstream with a cover mount Blue Note magazine being advertised on TV last year)so you have a whole world to potentially sell the book to and I know for one I would love a book of jazz stars in Paris through the 50/60's)

So come on Brownie back down into the cellar for you & get digging the world awaits!

[sidewinder]

Reminds me of my folks accidentally wiping a heap of BBC jazz broadcasts I had on VHS including Jazz 625s, the Swedish jazz film 'Sven Klang's Combo' and film of Lester Bowies Brass Fantasy at Bath Festival with footage of me in the audience standing on seat. Of course, none of that was ever repeated.

Bob, I think I copied my VHS recording of Brass Fantasy onto dvd. If I can find it I'll give it a play.

That would be fantastic, John. Hope you find it ! It was a great evening - at Green Park Station (open air venue). I see that the BFI also have it listed.

BFI Link

Edited October 19, 2012 by sidewinder

[JohnS]

Reminds me of my folks accidentally wiping a heap of BBC jazz broadcasts I had on VHS including Jazz 625s, the Swedish jazz film 'Sven Klang's Combo' and film of Lester Bowies Brass Fantasy at Bath Festival with footage of me in the audience standing on seat. Of course, none of that was ever repeated.

Bob, I think I copied my VHS recording of Brass Fantasy onto dvd. If I can find it I'll give it a play.

That would be fantastic, John. Hope you find it ! It was a great evening - at Green Park Station (open air venue). I see that the BFI also have it listed.

BFI Link

Found it and played it, fabulous stuff.

Bob, I just tried to pm you but you can't receive messages?

Edited October 20, 2012 by JohnS

[sidewinder]

Found it and played it, fabulous stuff.

Bob, I just tried to pm you but you can't receive messages?

John - That's great ! My inbox was full so I've cleared some space - should be OK now.

From memory, that concert was a great evening. It was nice and warm evening, perfect Bath Summer weather in what was an outstanding Festival year. The Brass Fantasy did a musical procession through the centre of the audience and being right next to the walkway I caught them at very close quarters. Sadly, some of these great musicians are no longer with us - I recall that Philip Wilson was on drums. The lineup also included John Clark and Frank Lacy (fortunately very much with us).

'Loose Tubes' were also televised by the BBC for that Festival. I was there at that one too.

Sorry to de-rail the Hank thread !

Edited October 20, 2012 by sidewinder

[fasstrack]

Beautiful thread, guys. My compliments. I stopped listening to Hank, for no particular reason. Maybe b/c with so many moves in the last years my collection is in storage w/various friends or partly lost. I always dug his lyricism and honesty. I liked that solo on A Tribute to Someone on an early Herbie Hancock recording, can't remember which one now. I liked Reach Out, mentioned in the interview. He and Woody Shaw brought each other out nicely. And George Benson was just off the hook that entire session, esp. on Good Pickin's, which I guess Hank wrote as a feature for him. And Hank seemed to have strong character, for all of his struggles. I know he stood by my friend (Eddie Diehl) who he wanted. on Thinking of Home. I guess Alfred Lion balked or wanted a bigger name. Hank told him 'Eddie's on the date or there's no date. The story of that recording and a few about Jack McDuff are on The Eddie Diehl Movie, the entirety of which-w/nice recent examples of Eddie's playing is viewable on youtube.

[Eric]

Beautiful thread, guys. My compliments. I stopped listening to Hank, for no particular reason. Maybe b/c with so many moves in the last years my collection is in storage w/various friends or partly lost. I always dug his lyricism and honesty. I liked that solo on A Tribute to Someone on an early Herbie Hancock recording, can't remember which one now. I liked Reach Out, mentioned in the interview. He and Woody Shaw brought each other out nicely. And George Benson was just off the hook that entire session, esp. on Good Pickin's, which I guess Hank wrote as a feature for him. And Hank seemed to have strong character, for all of his struggles. I know he stood by my friend (Eddie Diehl) who he wanted. on Thinking of Home. I guess Alfred Lion balked or wanted a bigger name. Hank told him 'Eddie's on the date or there's no date. The story of that recording and a few about Jack McDuff are on The Eddie Diehl Movie, the entirety of which-w/nice recent examples of Eddie's playing is viewable on youtube.

Interesting - he also talks about being booted off a Duke Pearson BN date in favor of Kenny Burrell. Ike Quebec gave him $10 and said "go home kid". So the Hank date came along ten years later ...

All this is discussed starting around the 20 minute mark of the video

[robertoart]

Beautiful thread, guys. My compliments. I stopped listening to Hank, for no particular reason. Maybe b/c with so many moves in the last years my collection is in storage w/various friends or partly lost. I always dug his lyricism and honesty. I liked that solo on A Tribute to Someone on an early Herbie Hancock recording, can't remember which one now. I liked Reach Out, mentioned in the interview. He and Woody Shaw brought each other out nicely. And George Benson was just off the hook that entire session, esp. on Good Pickin's, which I guess Hank wrote as a feature for him. And Hank seemed to have strong character, for all of his struggles. I know he stood by my friend (Eddie Diehl) who he wanted. on Thinking of Home. I guess Alfred Lion balked or wanted a bigger name. Hank told him 'Eddie's on the date or there's no date. The story of that recording and a few about Jack McDuff are on The Eddie Diehl Movie, the entirety of which-w/nice recent examples of Eddie's playing is viewable on youtube.

Interesting - he also talks about being booted off a Duke Pearson BN date in favor of Kenny Burrell. Ike Quebec gave him $10 and said "go home kid". So the Hank date came along ten years later ...

All this is discussed starting around the 20 minute mark of the video

Was Kenny Burrell on a Duke Pearson session?

[Eric]

Beautiful thread, guys. My compliments. I stopped listening to Hank, for no particular reason. Maybe b/c with so many moves in the last years my collection is in storage w/various friends or partly lost. I always dug his lyricism and honesty. I liked that solo on A Tribute to Someone on an early Herbie Hancock recording, can't remember which one now. I liked Reach Out, mentioned in the interview. He and Woody Shaw brought each other out nicely. And George Benson was just off the hook that entire session, esp. on Good Pickin's, which I guess Hank wrote as a feature for him. And Hank seemed to have strong character, for all of his struggles. I know he stood by my friend (Eddie Diehl) who he wanted. on Thinking of Home. I guess Alfred Lion balked or wanted a bigger name. Hank told him 'Eddie's on the date or there's no date. The story of that recording and a few about Jack McDuff are on The Eddie Diehl Movie, the entirety of which-w/nice recent examples of Eddie's playing is viewable on youtube.

Interesting - he also talks about being booted off a Duke Pearson BN date in favor of Kenny Burrell. Ike Quebec gave him $10 and said "go home kid". So the Hank date came along ten years later ...

All this is discussed starting around the 20 minute mark of the video

Was Kenny Burrell on a Duke Pearson session?

I wondered the same thing. Did a little searching ... only thing I could find was A New Perspective which of course is a Donald Byrd record.

Interesting - he says '63, but the video "corrects" it to 1959, around the time of the Duke Pearson trio albums (upon which it does not appear that KB appears). He also mentions Israel Crosby and Arthur Edgehill on the date. A little Googling reveals nothing about these guys on record together Makes me kind of curious ...

He goes on to say that Lion and Wolff were brothers - he didn't know why they had two last names and that they were from South Africa ...

[paul secor]

It could be a small book just with your memories. There´s not so many people who witnessed all that, got in touch with all those greats.

Francis Paudras did a great job with his "Le danse des infidèles", wich I purchased in it´s first edition in french in 1986, even if my french is bad and I read it only because of my knowledge of the romanian language, which helped me to read in french.

Anyway, that was a book only about Bud, which is great since I´m a Bud-addict, but there were so many great musicians living or at least working in Paris.....

There's an English language version published by Da Capo, which unfortunately doesn't include many of the photographs from the original French edition. I have the French edition and read what I could before I gave up. My ideas are greater than my reality, but I still had all of the photographs. I once almost bought the French edition of Francois Truffaut's correspondence when I saw it in a book store in Cambridge, Ma. I thought I'd be able to translate it bit by bit. Glad I waited for the English translation which was published about two years later. Your English seems very good, so perhaps adding the Da Capo edition would be a good bet for you.

Edited October 20, 2012 by paul secor

[robertoart]

Beautiful thread, guys. My compliments. I stopped listening to Hank, for no particular reason. Maybe b/c with so many moves in the last years my collection is in storage w/various friends or partly lost. I always dug his lyricism and honesty. I liked that solo on A Tribute to Someone on an early Herbie Hancock recording, can't remember which one now. I liked Reach Out, mentioned in the interview. He and Woody Shaw brought each other out nicely. And George Benson was just off the hook that entire session, esp. on Good Pickin's, which I guess Hank wrote as a feature for him. And Hank seemed to have strong character, for all of his struggles. I know he stood by my friend (Eddie Diehl) who he wanted. on Thinking of Home. I guess Alfred Lion balked or wanted a bigger name. Hank told him 'Eddie's on the date or there's no date. The story of that recording and a few about Jack McDuff are on The Eddie Diehl Movie, the entirety of which-w/nice recent examples of Eddie's playing is viewable on youtube.

Interesting - he also talks about being booted off a Duke Pearson BN date in favor of Kenny Burrell. Ike Quebec gave him $10 and said "go home kid". So the Hank date came along ten years later ...

All this is discussed starting around the 20 minute mark of the video

Was Kenny Burrell on a Duke Pearson session?

I wondered the same thing. Did a little searching ... only thing I could find was A New Perspective which of course is a Donald Byrd record.

Interesting - he says '63, but the video "corrects" it to 1959, around the time of the Duke Pearson trio albums (upon which it does not appear that KB appears). He also mentions Israel Crosby and Arthur Edgehill on the date. A little Googling reveals nothing about these guys on record together Makes me kind of curious ...

He goes on to say that Lion and Wolff were brothers - he didn't know why they had two last names and that they were from South Africa ...

Maybe it was a session Duke Pearson was arranging for BN? But that would have been post 63-64? Who knows?

I got excited and thought I'd overlooked a small group session with Duke Pearson and Kenny Burrell

[fasstrack]

Well, Eddie definitely has some different opinions on things. Wouldn't accept anyone's as gospel, there's always personal feelings, senses of being slighted, etc. that all sensitive artists have. I have no reason to doubt the story of Hank sticking up for him, sounds right. I wasn't there though, so...

[makpjazz57]

So, speaking of the 68-70 period when Mobley was in Europe...has anybody heard of (or viewed) video or know if such video exists? I was kind of hoping the jazz-loving BBC or perhaps Belgium or France broadcasting companies might have unearthed some video of Hank?

[robertoart]

So, speaking of the 68-70 period when Mobley was in Europe...has anybody heard of (or viewed) video or know if such video exists? I was kind of hoping the jazz-loving BBC or perhaps Belgium or France broadcasting companies might have unearthed some video of Hank?

As far as I know, it's still the big mystery. And the European years are the ones everyone's pinning their hopes on.