A very unique album from
Hank Mobley – one that has him working alongside Milt Jackson, in an unusual format that mixes the soulful
Mobley tenor with some well-crafted work on vibes! The "all star" title is certainly appropriate here – as
Mobley and Jackson are joined in a quintet by Horace Silver on piano, Doug Watkins on bass, and Art Blakey on drums – almost bringing in an early Jazz Messengers sensibility to the record, but also hitting more of a looser, laidback blowing session approach. There's less of the tightness of other
Mobley sessions from the time, and the record has the players really feeling each other out in the studio – with the sort of spontaneity you might hear in a Prestige or Savoy album from the time. Tracks are long, and titles include "Ultramarine", "Don't Walk", "Lower Stratosphere", and "
Mobley's Musings".
(Late 70s white b label pressing. Cover has a small cutout hole, light ringwear, some edge wear, and a small split in the top seam.)