HANK MOBLEY - The Best of Hank Mobley : The Blue Note Years (1996) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Part of Blue Note's quality series of artist samplers, The Best of Hank Mobley surveys the great tenor saxophonist's prime stretch from 1955-1965. Originally overshadowed by the likes of Joe Henderson, Wayne Shorter, and, of course, Coltrane, Mobley nevertheless gained the respect of his peers, thanks to his richly fluid phrasing and smooth, caramel tone -- in lieu of trying to impress you, he seduced you slowly from afar. And while one is advised to dive in directly with any one of his Blue Note discs -- especially Soul Station, No Room for Squares, and A Slice of the Top -- this ten-track overview still works well as a launching pad. Backed by a stellar array of "Blue Note" regulars like Lee Morgan, Curtis Fuller, Billy Higgins, Freddie Hubbard, and Horace Silver, Mobley ranges effortlessly from early hard bop favorites ("Funk in a Deep Freeze") to mature, solo-rich material from the mid-'60s ("The Turnaround"). In between, there are two stunning originals from his banner year of 1960 ("This I Dig of You," "Take Your Pick") and one of the best of his several bossa nova numbers ("Recado Bossa Nova"). For listeners who just want a taste, this best-of collection will do the trick just fine. Stephen Cook
Tracklist :
1     Avila and Tequila 4:29
Hank Mobley    
2     Funk in Deep Freeze 6:45
Hank Mobley    
3     Fin de l'Affaire 6:35     
Hank Mobley    
4     Take Your Pick 5:20
Hank Mobley    
5     This I Dig of You 6:22
Hank Mobley    
6     Smokin' 7:28
Hank Mobley / Tom Scholz    
7     Recado Bossa Nova 8:11
Luiz Antonio / Djalma Ferreira
8     No Room for Squares 6:55
Hank Mobley    
9     The Turnaround 8:16
Hank Mobley    
10     3rd Time Around 6:10
Hank Mobley