Hank Mobley
Tenor Sax
About
Hank Mobley was a hard-bop jazz saxophonist and composer. Often identified as the "middleweight champion of the tenor saxophone" his tone was not as aggressive as John Coltrane's or as cool as Stan Getz's, but laid back and melodic. Mobley was a founding member of the Jazz Messengers and went on to record over 20 albums as band leader. He also appeared as a sideman on albums with Lee Morgan, Elvin Jones, Freddie Hubbard and other stars of the era. Mobely was forced to retire due to health problems in 1975 and passed away from pneumonia in 1986.
Trivia
In 1961 Mobley was hired to replace John Coltrane in Miles Davis' quintet, but did not get along with Davis and left the group in 1962. In 1964 Mobley was incarcerated for drug possession and used the time to compose music. Hank Mobley was inducted into the DownBeat Hall of Fame in 2019, more than 33 years after his death.
Early Life
Hank Mobley was born in Georgia, but grew up in Elizabeth, New Jersey. He had several relatives who played piano and Mobley learned to play as a child. At the age of 16 an illness kept him homebound for several months and his uncle brought him a tenor saxophone to occupy his time. Mobley studied music at home and by age 19 he was playing the R&B circuit. In 1951 he took a job with the house band at a Newark, New Jersey jazz club which led to gigs with Max Roach and Dizzy Gillespie.
Hank Mobley Solos
1961
Tenor Sax solo - Someday My Prince Will Come - 1961
3/4 waltz in B♭ major at 154 BPM
Tenor Sax solo - Old Folks - 1961
4/4 ballad in F major at 54 BPM
Tenor Sax solo - Pfrancing (No Blues) - 1961
4/4 swing in F major at 134 BPM
Tenor Sax solo - Drad-Dog - 1961
4/4 ballad in D minor at 48 BPM
Tenor Sax solo - I Thought About You - 1961
4/4 ballad in F major at 57 BPM
Tenor Sax solo - Blues No. 2 - 1961
4/4 swing in F major at 181 BPM
Tenor Sax solo - Someday My Prince Will Come - 1961
3/4 waltz in B♭ major at 156 BPM
1960
Tenor Sax solo - Remember - 1960
4/4 swing in A♭ major at 166 BPM
Tenor Sax solo - This I Dig of You - 1960
4/4 swing in B♭ major at 244 BPM
Tenor Sax solo - Dig Dis - 1960
4/4 swing in B♭ major at 142 BPM
Tenor Sax solo - Split Feelin's - 1960
4/4 swing in F major at 221 BPM
Tenor Sax solo - Soul Station - 1960
4/4 swing in E♭ major at 102 BPM
Tenor Sax solo - If I Should Lose You - 1960
4/4 swing in F major at 179 BPM
1957
Tenor Sax solo - No Smokin' - 1957
4/4 swing in B♭ minor at 298 BPM
Tenor Sax solo - The Back Beat - 1957
4/4 swing in E♭ major at 180 BPM
Tenor Sax solo - Soulville - 1957
4/4 swing in B♭ minor at 119 BPM
Tenor Sax solo - Home Cookin' - 1957
4/4 swing in F major at 143 BPM
Tenor Sax solo - Metamorphosis - 1957
4/4 swing in D♭ major at 203 BPM
Tenor Sax solo - My One And Only Love - 1957
4/4 ballad in C major at 61 BPM
Tenor Sax solo - The Way You Look Tonight - 1957
4/4 swing in F major at 342 BPM
Tenor Sax solo - Ball Bearing - 1957
4/4 swing in B♭ major at 211 BPM
Tenor Sax solo - All The Things You Are - 1957
4/4 swing in A♭ major at 194 BPM
Tenor Sax solo - Smoke Stack - 1957
4/4 swing in F major at 241 BPM
Tenor Sax solo - Smoke Stack - 1957
4/4 swing in F major at 216 BPM
1956
Tenor Sax solo - Tenor Conclave - 1956
4/4 swing in B♭ major at 244 BPM
Tenor Sax solo - Just You, Just Me - 1956
4/4 swing in E♭ major at 235 BPM
Tenor Sax solo - Bob's Boys - 1956
4/4 swing in F major at 196 BPM
Tenor Sax solo - How Deep Is the Ocean? - 1956
4/4 ballad in E♭ major at 52 BPM