The last roundup

[Dave James]

Is it just me or is the fact that we're only several days away from the release of "The Flip" causing the same kind of reaction in others as it is in me? After all, this is the last of the "unheard" Hank. That's it...the vaults have been scoured clean...there isn't anything else.

I still recall with great fondness when I first tied into Mobley many years ago and how blown away I was by his sound, his music and his writing. I spent months accumulating everything of his I could get my hands on. And, believe me, back then, this stuff was not easy to come by. Worth every scintella of the effort, though, as each new recording was joy to experience. Now it's down to this. For me, kind of like the bittersweet feeling you get when you return home after a long vacation. Something you'd like to do all over again.

Anyone else, or am I horribly alone in my solitude?

Up over and out.

[jazzbo]

Yeah, up over and out.

It is a sobering thing. In fact I have some recordings by favorite artists on a list and just haven't bought them. . . because I don't want yet to come to the end of their discography.

It's like reading bios and getting to the final chapters. If I ever write one (my father has written four and has encouraged me to) I'm going to START with the final years, the funeral and the eulogies, and move from there to the life and finish at an important climax. . . . I've read recently about three bios in a row and I swear they have me depressed!

[DrJ]

jazzbo Posted: Sep 18 2003, 09:33 AM   

It is a sobering thing. In fact I have some recordings by favorite artists on a list and just haven't bought them. . . because I don't want yet to come to the end of their discography.

Boy, does that ring true!

I feel similarly about the appearance of THE FLIP. I remember in about 1994, when I really started getting serious about listening to jazz, going to the Best Buy in Augusta, GA - believe it or not, that was the BEST CD store there, at that time they had a pretty extensive jazz selection and the guy in charge of the section at that store actually knew what he was talking about! - and browsing. The Connoisseur series was just starting, and the Collectors Choice series had just had its first run. That year and over the next couple, I remember picking up (in addition to the staple SOUL STATION) what I now realize are some of the more obscure titles in the Mobley BN canon, like HI VOLTAGE and A SLICE OF THE TOP and FAR AWAY LANDS and really digging all of them. Then I'd read some of the ridiculously low ratings these receive in sources like the Penguin Guide, and I'd think "Wow, if HI VOLTAGE" is a 2-star recording, what the hell constitutes a 5-star recording!" Incidentally, the jazz section at that Best Buy was "downsized" about 2 years later, the guy in charge of the section either was fired or moved on, and fortunately about then I discovered mail order resources like DoubleTime Jazz, Cadence, and Mosaic/True Blue.

So yes, this is not only closing the book on the reissuing of Mobley's BN recordings for me, but it also sort of nicely closes out my first 10 years as a die-hard jazz listener. There's a definite hint of sadness in all this, or perhaps more accurately a sense of nostalgia and longing for a chance to newly discover these recordings again that will of course never come in quite the same way, but also a feeling of gratefulness at all the riches I've been presented with via Hank, facilitated by Lion and Wolff, Cuscuna, and the CD reissue boom in general.

Hank's BN dates have been there all the way, constant favorites throughout my exploration of different eras, styles, and artists, and I wish he was around so I could thank him personally.

Edited September 18, 2003 by DrJ

[JSngry]

Now it's time to start digging for live tapes, the final frontier of appreciation of an artist, or anal compulsion, depending on how you go about it (or maybe even a bit of both!). Unfortunately, the Hankster's bootleg reserve gives every indication of being a really shallow well. Either that , or else I just haven't met the right people yet. But there's still some "unheard" stuff from Left Bank that Label M was kicking around issuing before they went under, and I've been making casual inquiries, so far fruitless, about the existence of any live tapes from Hank's early 70s stay in Chicago, especially the band he had with Muhal. THAT I would like to hear, and surely SOMEBODY has some tapes, even crappy ones.

Bottom line, though, when it comes to a favorite artist, having all there is is just the beginng to getting all there is, if you get my drift. The former can be accomplished, but the latter goes on forever, thank God.

[Peter Johnson]

when it comes to a favorite artist, having all there is is just the beginng to getting all there is

Can I get an AMEN!

[bertrand]

There's still the soundtrack to the movie about the Franco-Algerian war, as mentioned in the Litweiler interview posted elsewhere...

Bertrand.

[Dan Gould]

Yeah, we mentioned that to Michael or Tom way back when, didn't we? He was pretty darn positive that any such tapes don't exist of that it was a reference to a different session ... but it would be great if they were found!

As to the topic at hand, I understand the feelings of sadness though I can't quite relate to them, since I had landed a copy of The Flip quite a while back. Yet another bit of dough I might have saved if I had kept the faith that every item would come out eventually.

What is most saddening to me though is simply the fact that we have nothing other than "Breakthrough" to document Hank's post BN time. As far as I know, he was still performing for a number of years before his health problems started, though maybe that isn't really accurate as it seems as though his style of jazz had really slipped by the wayside. I've said this before, but I always wondered if things might have turned out differently if Hank had stayed in Europe where he might have found greater acceptance as Griff, Dex and many others had.

[bertrand]

Dan,

The soundtrack is obviously not on Blue Note - that's clear to me.

The fact that Hank bothered to bring it up in the interview indicates that the session must have taken place. What did he have to gain by making it up?

Perhaps Ian McDonald or Sam Miller can shed some light...

Bertrand.

[Dan Gould]

Then what did he gain by forgetting what label he recorded it for? Why would he forget the label? My guess is that Hank wrote the music and added the part about recording it for Blue Note, a session that didn't actually take place.

[Aggie87]

What's the story on Wynton Kelly Live at the Leftbank with Mobley? Any good? It's post-BN timeframe, no?

[king ubu]

You see, sometimes even in terms of jazz, it's could to be young... I have not yet picked up Thinking of Home, neither The Flip (saw the LP used a couple of times), and even if I will have them, I've got to wait for Another Workout until my official Mobley holdings will be complete...

The Leftbank stuff was issued on Freshsound, a 2CD set, I only gave it a very quick spin, sound quality is terrible, can't remember the music (was in a hurry that day, and the next time I came to the store, they didn't have it anymore).

If I remember right, it does not have Chambers on bass (as he had died - Jan. 1969 - sometime before, or stopped performing). Seems this has been a terrible period for Kelly (who seems to have been very close to P.C.) who died himself not much later (April 1971).

I cannot access the Freshsound site right now to get more information on this. Try later!

ubu

[Guest ariceffron]

there is yet ANOTHER kelly/hank session from i believe '70. they were gonna issue it but now i dont know whats up. i saw mccoy and his trio tonight. it was good. i went with some dudes and this woman who is the most beautiful woman in my university, by far. she is a redhead. i won free greatful dead tickets the other day cause i knew that john lennon wrote that david bowie song fame. oh fucking hell yeah

[JSngry]

I found the sound on the Left Bank disc to be quite acceptable as far as bootleg stuff goes. Hank's in fine form too.

Does everybody who's bemoaning the fact that they have no more new Mobley to look forward to have the Tete Motoliu Steeplechase side from the late 70s where Hank plays "Autumn Leaves"?

[DrJ]

To clarify: we are bemoaning (or how about wistfully commenting on the fact) that there is no new Mobley on BLUE NOTE to look forward to. I still have a lot of other collecting to do as far as Hank goes, and no, I don't have that Steeplechase...will look for it.

[JSngry]

I feel your pain, but as Hank said...

Edited September 19, 2003 by JSngry

[Brad]

Very nice Jim. You may have a future as a graphic designer .

I can't say I feel bad to have finally obtained all of his leader sessions. I feel exhilarated to be able to get all that there is of Hank as a leader and that there's nothing I won't have or not be able to be here. However, that doesn't mean I have everything of his a sideman and those are recordings people would want to check out also. Plus, getting everything out doesn't mean we can't appreciate what we already have.

My first experience with Hank was the Mosaic and the quality of the music makes it my most prized collection of music, not to mention my favorite Mosaic. I've obviously bought a lot and listened to a lot since then but the music of that Mosaic has a special place in my heart.

I too would like to hear that Tete session. If I'm not mistaken, it was a photo from that session that prompted quite a discussion on the BNBB several years ago. It was not a good looking picture but a picture of what drugs and not clean living had done to him. Based on that, I wonder what the music sounds like. Probably not as good as from the 60s or early 70s.

[Son-of-a-Weizen]

There's still the soundtrack to the movie about the Franco-Algerian war, as mentioned in the Litweiler interview posted elsewhere...

Bertrand.

I think I'd rather hear a nice RVG'd "Another Workout".

[Jazzdog]

My first experience with Hank was the Mosaic and the quality of the music makes it my most prized collection of music, not to mention my favorite Mosaic. I've obviously bought a lot and listened to a lot since then but the music of that Mosaic has a special place in my heart.

I would like to fully echo this statement. It was also my first Mosaic, and it pulled my apreciation for Hank's music to the forefront. Previously my most prized was the Ornette Atlantic box, but over the years I am moving more towards the Hank camp, even though there are riches to be found on both sides! That being said, I don't feel a need to get everything Hank ever played on, as I am still on the fence about The Flip. I'll probably end up getting it, not right away but eventually.

[mikeweil]

I once had a Japanese VeeJay double LP of Hank with the Wynton Kelly trio, is that identical to the Fresh Sound?

[Chuck Nessa]

Previously my most prized was the Ornette Atlantic box, but over the years I am moving more towards the Hank camp, even though there are riches to be found on both sides!

Why do you have to make a choice? Enjoy both for the music they present.

[jazzbo]

Mike: Yes.

[Jazzdog]

Previously my most prized was the Ornette Atlantic box, but over the years I am moving more towards the Hank camp, even though there are riches to be found on both sides!

Why do you have to make a choice? Enjoy both for the music they present.

It's difficult to comprehend ones own shift in listening tastes, and while I still do enjoy the Coleman Atlantics, I am finding the Hank BN's are more my taste these days. Not necessarily all of that music, but the Classic BN style of Hard Bop that the Mobley Mosaic holds for me.

That being said, Ornette was the person who helped foster my love of jazz, everything else was kind of built around that. So, its not as much a choice as a natural progression.

[sidewinder]

Just listening to 'Far Away Lands' and 'A Caddy For Daddy' earlier today. Why is it that these excellent sessions are routinely under-rated? (by the Penguin Guide as mentioned earlier but 'Far Away' in particular never seems to get any plaudits from the critics). Hank's playing on these sessions is well up to his usual standard in terms of fluency and invention, to my mind far superior to the playing on 'Reach Out' and 'The Flip'. Billy Higgins is also on fantastic form on both sessions - this was a really great period for him.

OK, whilst neither of these sessions are quite up there with 'Soul Station' and 'Roll Call' etc. I suspect that 'Far Away Lands' in particular might be due for major re-appraisal.

Any thoughts?

[BruceH]

Just listening to 'Far Away Lands' and 'A Caddy For Daddy' earlier today. Why is it that these excellent sessions are routinely under-rated? (by the Penguin Guide as mentioned earlier but 'Far Away' in particular never seems to get any plaudits from the critics). Hank's playing on these sessions is well up to his usual standard in terms of fluency and invention, to my mind far superior to the playing on 'Reach Out' and 'The Flip'. Billy Higgins is also on fantastic form on both sessions - this was a really great period for him.

OK, whilst neither of these sessions are quite up there with 'Soul Station' and 'Roll Call' etc. I suspect that 'Far Away Lands' in particular might be due for major re-appraisal.

Any thoughts?

Just agreement.

These are both strong second-string Hank albums. That is, if first-string is understood to be the likes of Soul Station, Workout, Roll Call, etc. In fact, I like Hi Voltage a notch more than FAL and Caddy, though still not quite as much as first-string.

And yeah, when the Hell ARE they going to RVG Another Workout?????? C'mon.

[John Tapscott]

I suspect that 'Far Away Lands' in particular might be due for major re-appraisal.

Any thoughts?

I agree totally. I really like this fine recording, one of my favorite and most played Hank's.