Hank Mobley's "Curtain Call"

[Soul Stream]

Here's a session that isn't mentioned a lot (o.k...AT ALL!), but imho it's one of Hank's absolute best. Out of all the discs on the Mosaic box, it's the one I spin the most...Kenny Dorham, Sonny Clarks, Art Taylor and Jimmy Rowser (unfamiliar with him but he's definately in the Doug Watkins vein...swinging and great intonation). This CD KILLS!!!!!!!!

And man...Deep In A Dream....you go Hank.

[MartyJazz]

Here's a session that isn't mentioned a lot (o.k...AT ALL!), but imho it's one of Hank's absolute best.  Out of all the discs on the Mosaic box, it's the one I spin the most...Kenny Dorham, Sonny Clarks, Art Taylor and Jimmy Rowser (unfamiliar with him but he's definately in the Doug Watkins vein...swinging and great intonation).  This CD KILLS!!!!!!!!

And man...Deep In A Dream....you go Hank.

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Of course, it was released in Japan (TOCJ-1611).

[clifford_thornton]

I was going to ask if this was released separately, and now I know. Thanks.

Is Rowser a pseudonym?

Edited July 31, 2005 by clifford_thornton

[Soul Stream]

I was going to ask if this was released separately, and now I know. Thanks.

Is Rowser a pseudonym?

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Rowser is a real person. I guess the japanese CD attributed the bass to someone else and the Mosaic cleared it up, naming Rowser as the bassist. Looking at the AMG, it looks like he had an extensive career through the 70's at least. Recording quite a bit with Les McCann and Red Garland.

Edited July 31, 2005 by Soul Stream

[Tjazz]

I'm sure when the Mosaic set goes OOP, Curtain Call will be re-issued on CD domestically.

[Jim R]

Here's a session that isn't mentioned a lot (o.k...AT ALL!), but imho it's one of Hank's absolute best.  Out of all the discs on the Mosaic box, it's the one I spin the most...Kenny Dorham, Sonny Clarks, Art Taylor and Jimmy Rowser (unfamiliar with him but he's definately in the Doug Watkins vein...swinging and great intonation).  This CD KILLS!!!!!!!!

And man...Deep In A Dream....you go Hank.

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Of course, it was released in Japan (TOCJ-1611).

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And some years before that, on Japanese vinyl (BNJ 61006)- HANK MOBLEY / SONNY CLARK QUINTET (w/same cover art as BN 1560)

[sidewinder]

Re: Jimmy Rowser. He's on that DVD of the Les McCann Trio In Concert that Rhapsody have issued with the Sonny Criss All Stars.

[CJ Shearn]

"Don't Get Too Hip" now, thats the stuff............ what a great opener

[Soulstation1]

[Dan Gould]

"Don't Get Too Hip" now, thats  the stuff............ what a great opener 

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That's exactly what I was going to say.

[Michael Weiss]

I learned Deep in a Dream off of this great record. I played it for Hank after nearly everyone had left the jam session that followed the Town Hall Blue Note concert of 1985. While I was playing he was egging me on with stuff like "yeah, come up this chord, now come down that scale." A precious memory. As most people in-the-know know Hank wasn't invited and appeared anyway. At the end of the night he apparently lost his overcoat, had no money, so Kenny Washington and I cabbed him to Penn Station and gave him trainfare back to Philly.

[Soul Stream]

I learned Deep in a Dream off of this great record.  I played it for Hank after nearly everyone had left the jam session that followed the Town Hall Blue Note concert of 1985.  While I was playing he was egging me on with stuff like "yeah, come up this chord, now come down that scale."  A precious memory.  As most people in-the-know know Hank wasn't invited and appeared anyway.  At the end of the night he apparently lost his overcoat, had no money, so Kenny Washington and I cabbed him to Penn Station and gave him trainfare back to Philly.

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WOW!!!!! GREAT STORY!!!!! Thanks for sharing!

Do you have any other stories of Hank, or is this the only time you met him?

[CJ Shearn]

wow, great story.... kind of bittersweet too. What went on at those jam sessions after the One Night With Blue Note concert?

[Michael Weiss]

WOW!!!!!  GREAT STORY!!!!!  Thanks for sharing! Do you have any other stories of Hank, or is this the only time you met him?

I think around that same year, a friend and I called him up in Philly and asked if we could visit him, but it didn't come together. He was living in some kind of halfway house.

I heard Hank at the Angry Squire with Duke Jordan. He was a shadow of his former self, but it was unmistakably the shadow of Hank Mobley!

wow, great story.... kind of bittersweet too. What went on at those jam sessions after the One Night With Blue Note concert?

My vague recollection was that it was something pre-orchestrated with musicians not directly related to the proceedings. In other words it wasn't memorable - to me anyway.

[Soul Stream]

WOW!!!!!  GREAT STORY!!!!!  Thanks for sharing! Do you have any other stories of Hank, or is this the only time you met him?

I think around that same year, a friend and I called him up in Philly and asked if we could visit him, but it didn't come together. He was living in some kind of halfway house.

I heard Hank at the Angry Squire with Duke Jordan. He was a shadow of his former self, but it was unmistakably the shadow of Hank Mobley!

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That's really great. Could you tell more specifically about the gig at the Angry Squire? The circumstances. Maybe what TUNES they played and any particular ones Hank seemed to shine on. Thanks for the memories (so to speak), I think I speak for many others on the board who could have only hoped to have such a nice brush with greatness. Not a lot of first hand stuff about Hank floating around.

Also, Just what were those chords and scales Hank hipped you to on Deep In A Dream? (any chance you'll record this on an upcoming release?)

Edited August 8, 2005 by Soul Stream

[BruceH]

I've got the Japanese import of this album. Always liked it.

[CJ Shearn]

the more and more I think about the circumstances surrounding the end of Hank's life it makes me very sad. I can only hope that when I have a career and some money I could help great jazz musicians like him get off the street if they are in need of serious help. I may go pull disc 5 from the Mosaic in a bit and listen.

[Soul Stream]

the more and more I think about the circumstances surrounding the end of Hank's life it makes me very sad.  I  can only hope that when I have a career and some money I could help great jazz musicians like him get off the street if they are in need of serious help.  I may go pull disc 5 from the Mosaic in a bit and listen.

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Some of the circumstances that surround some of our heroes lives that may seem demoralizing to many...well, that's just what happened. Hank Mobley was a genius imho, and his efforts were less than rewarded by society. O.K., for some of those guys, they accepted that and soldiered on. Some fell. Hank fell, but don't let that get in the way of his inner beauty...THAT he showed to us all. But don't pity Hank, if his music was any indication he was on higher moral ground than any of us. The drugs may have taken it's toll, but I'm sure Hank was ALWAYS about the music. That's the way those guys are/were. *(of course this is all based on my little, bitty, teenie weenie, nothing experience)

[Michael Weiss]

That's really great.  Could you tell more specifically about the gig at the Angry Squire?  The circumstances.  Maybe what TUNES they played and any particular ones Hank seemed to shine on.  Thanks for the memories (so to speak), I think I speak for many others on the board who could have only hoped to have such a nice brush with greatness.  Not a lot of first hand stuff about Hank floating around.

I don't remember what tunes were played. The singer Lodi Carr was fronting the gig. I was stuffed in a standing-room-only area and it was difficult to concentrate. This was twenty years ago.

Also, Just what were those chords and scales Hank hipped you to on Deep In A Dream?   (any chance you'll record this on an upcoming release?)

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To my dismay as well as yours, I don't remember any more than I told already. I wish there was more to it than that.

[Soul Stream]

That's really great.  Could you tell more specifically about the gig at the Angry Squire?  The circumstances.  Maybe what TUNES they played and any particular ones Hank seemed to shine on.  Thanks for the memories (so to speak), I think I speak for many others on the board who could have only hoped to have such a nice brush with greatness.  Not a lot of first hand stuff about Hank floating around.

I don't remember what tunes were played. The singer Lodi Carr was fronting the gig. I was stuffed in a standing-room-only area and it was difficult to concentrate. This was twenty years ago.

Also, Just what were those chords and scales Hank hipped you to on Deep In A Dream?   (any chance you'll record this on an upcoming release?)

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To my dismay as well as yours, I don't remember any more than I told already. I wish there was more to it than that.

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Thanks for telling the story. Great one.

[CJ Shearn]

unfortunately I think it'll only be a small group like us, that recognize Hank as a genius. (Probably noone more so than Aric )

[Brad]

It never ceases to amaze me that the Mosaic set is not sold out but Curtain Call is great, yeah.

[Late]

I almost started a new thread on this album, but decided to do a search first — glad I did! This really is a great Mobley album, with both Kenny Dorham and Sonny Clark in top form. Sonny Clark's long solo on the opener "Don't Get Too Hip" — quintessential Clark. No one could play mezzo-piano to piano (the dynamic range, that is) and have it swing so hard.

[mikeweil]

I think the Kenny Dorham - Hank Mobley frontline was one of the really great ones.

[Late]

I think the Kenny Dorham - Hank Mobley frontline was one of the really great ones.

Agreed. Kenny is extraordinarily crisp on this session, picking his notes from The Giant Musical Tree with the utmost of care ... and making them swing.