Whither Moms Mobley? With an "O"?

[Dave James]

 

[robertoart]

 

[Larry Kart]

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HANK MOBLEY

By: Brian Berger 
July 7, 2011

“I played with [Charlie] Parker many times,” recalled tenor saxophonist HANK MOBLEY (1930-86). “He didn’t say, ‘practice those scales’… He just said ‘Baby, you’d better learn those blues.’” This the Elizabeth, N.J. native did, becoming by April 1953, when Max Roach hired him, one of the most frequently recorded musicians of his era. While his sideman work alone (including seminal sessions with Art Blakey and Horace Silver) proved Mobley’s talent, it was his solo records for Blue Note which repeatedly demonstrated his unique, subtle, and evolving, genius: a sound combining swing-era warmth with the rhythmic acuities of be-bop and an inventive yet pleasantly funky compositional sense. While a high-profile 1960-61 stint with Miles Davis proved dissatisfying, Mobley was making the albums for which he’d be revered (Roll Call, Soul Station, Workout). In 1964, heroin possession landed Mobley in prison; he continued writing, however, and a March 1966 octet session — released in 1981 as A Slice of the Top — contained some of his finest work (listen to “Hank’s Other Bag,” below). In 1968, like many black jazzmen, Mobley went to Europe — but there were too many musicians there, not enough work. Upon returning, America was just as bad. He made a final Blue Note album in 1970, recorded once more in 1972 and then darkness (neglect, illness, poverty) enfolded him. Were it otherwise! Dexter Gordon: “Ah, yes, the Hankenstein. He was so hip.”

[JSngry]

 

[bertrand]

DEEP was an asshole. No great loss.

[Dmitry]

MomsMobley / Clementine is/was an intellectual or an erudite. What's the difference, Clem/Moms? Drop me a line!

 

[Daniel A]

And where is TTK? 

[mikeweil]

On 15.12.2020 at 4:19 PM, Daniel A said:

And where is TTK? 

Sent him a pm and received a prompt answer - his work schedule kept him from posting. He's okay.

[Dan Gould]

That's good to know ... wouldn't mind some more Music School Nightmares, when he is able. 

 

Edited December 17, 2020 by Dan Gould

[Dave James]

Call me irresponsible, but I thought Moms was one of the more interesting personalities we've had here even going as far back as the old BNBB.

[Larry Kart]

On 6/20/2020 at 2:43 PM, T.D. said:

Or at least Brian something. Definitely a Brooklynite, and back in the day some of the cognoscenti addressed him as "Brian".

[Added] After googling, yeah, probably Berger. As much as one can be sure of the identity of anyone posting on the Internet.

Someone on this forum once theorized that Clem/Moms = "Gio", the prolific Amazon reviewer whose reviews of Renaissance polyphony CDs I've often read. I consider that improbable but hey, it's the Internet, so by no means out of the question.

I was the one who thought he was "GIo." I was dead wrong, but the tone of voice was similar.

[jlhoots]

2 hours ago, Dave James said:

Call me irresponsible, but I thought Moms was one of the more interesting personalities we've had here even going as far back as the old BNBB.

Not me. I thought he was an annoying pontificator.

[JSngry]

Well of course he was, that was the point!