On February 7, 1960, tenor saxophonist Hank Mobley with pianist Wynton Kelly, bassist Paul Chambers, and drummer Art Blakey, laid down what would become his masterpiece: Soul Station.
The tenor saxophonist had already notched several hard bop masterpieces in his belt, but No Room for Squares was an even more ambitious effort that found Mobley elevating his game as a bandleader, improviser, and a composer.
Tenor saxophonist Hank Mobley was on a serious roll when he recorded his 1960 album Roll Call, the follow-up to his classic Soul Station, which reconvened the same rhythm section of pianist Wynton Kelly, bassist Paul Chambers and drummer Art Blakey
Following last year's "triumphant live album" (Pitchfork), and 2022's surprise breakthrough Boat Songs, Manning Fireworks is an instant classic of an LP. MJ let's us in on his observations on the intersection of wit and sadness.
The live music captures the band at the beginning and end of its short-but-influential partnership, with two shows in Japan in 1973 and one of the group’s final performances in London a year later.
All Hope pours twenty-four years' worth of experience into songs that recall 70s greats like Randy Newman and Harry Nilsson while dealing with coming of age, friendship, falling in and out of love, navigating the age of anxiety...