Tenor saxophonist
Hank Mobley
recorded frequently for
Blue Note
in the 1960s (six albums from 1967-1970) and, although overshadowed by the flashier and more avant-garde players,
Mobley
's output was consistently rewarding. For this overlooked session, which was not issued until 1980 and then finally reissued on CD in 1988, a regular contingent of top
artists (
, trumpeter
Lee Morgan
, altoist
James Spaulding
, pianist
Cedar Walton
, bassist
Walter Booker
, and drummer
Billy Higgins
) are joined by a wild card, guitarist
Sonny Greenwich
. The music is mostly in the hard bop vein, with hints of modality and the gospel-ish piece
"Give Me That Feelin',"
but
Greenwich
's three solos are a bonus and the performances of five
originals and one by
Morgan
are up to the usual caliber of
's releases. Pity that this one has been lost in the shuffle. ~ Scott Yanow