""Takin' Off" was an impressive debut effort from Hancock, and this second record proved that it was no fluke. He took two risks with the album - his five original compositions covered more diverse stylistic ground than his debut, and he assembled a large septet for the sessions; the band features such stellar musicians as Donald Byrd (t), Hank Mobley (ts), Tony Williams (d), Grant Green (g), Chuck Israels (b), and Grachan Moncur III (tmb). It's a rare occasion that all musicians appear on the same track, which speaks well for the pianist's arranging capabilities. Hancock knows how to get the best out of his songs and musicians, which is one of the reasons why "My Point of View" is a captivating listen. The other is the sheer musicality of the album. Hard bop remains the foundation for Hancock's music, but he explores its limitations, finding its soulful side, its probing, adventurous leanings and its ballad side. It's a little more relaxed than "Takin' Off", but nearly as stunning." (S.T. Erlewine, Allmusic)
Album pick op Allmusic: "This unusual set (reissued on CD by Blue Note) was one of the most successful uses of a gospel choir in a jazz context. Trumpeter Donald Byrd and a septet that also includes tenor saxophonist Hank Mobley, guitarist Kenny Burrell, and pianist Herbie Hancock are joined by an eight-voice choir directed by Coleridge Perkinson. The arrangements by Duke Pearson are masterful and one song, "Cristo Redentor," became a bit of a hit. This is a memorable effort that is innovative in its own way, a milestone in Donald Byrd's career." (Scott Yanow, Allmusic)
"Met Art Blakey, Paul Chambers (b) en Wynton Kelly (p). HET essentiele Mobley-album: zijn saxspel zit vol subtiele ritmiek, waarmee hij onverwacht beats accentueert en een phrasering die ieder hard bop-cliché mijdt." (PJG)
"This session is best known for introducing Lee Morgan's beautiful ballad "Ceora," but actually all five selections (which include Morgan's "Cornbread," "Our Man Higgins," "Most Like Lee," and the standard "Ill Wind") are quite memorable. The trumpeter/leader performs with a perfectly complementary group of open-minded and talented hard bop stylists (altoist Jackie McLean, Hank Mobley on tenor, pianist Herbie Hancock, bassist Larry Ridley, and drummer Billy Higgins) and creates a Blue Note classic that is heartily recommended." (Scott Yanow, Allmusic)
"Het Nederlands Jazz Archief blijft bijzondere opnamen ontdekken en uitgeven. Koud na Don Byas' "Groovin' High" met Pim en Ruud Jacobs nu een aan Hank Mobley gewijd album, deels opgenomen met hetzelfde duo. Mobley was 37 jaar oud toen hij op Schiphol landde voor een verblijf van een paar jaar in Europa. De CD bevat registraties van drie concerten die de Amerikaanse tenorsaxofonist in maart 1968 gaf in Amsterdam, Rotterdam en Hilversum. Zijn beste jaren (1960-1962) lagen toen al achter hem. Het kritische jazzpubliek vond hem te weinig vernieuwend en reageerde lauw op zijn komst. Toch is dat ten onrechte. Op To One so Sweet. Stay That Way: Hank Mobley In Holland is hij in topvorm. Menig tenorsaxofonist zal anno 2017 jaloers zijn op zijn prachtige volronde geluid. Vooral de standards die hij in Rotterdam ten gehore bracht, klinken geweldig. Het is heel bijzonder dat de enige opnamen van Mobley met een bigband, het Hobby Orkest, nu voor iedereen te horen zijn." (Gijsbert Kamer, Volkskrant; 4 uit 5 sterren)
"Dizzy Gillespie was at the peak of his powers throughout the '50s, still the pacesetter among trumpeters. This album matches Dizzy with Stan Getz, the Oscar Peterson Trio and drummer Max Roach. Getz, although identified with the "cool" school, thrived on competition and is both relaxed and combative on the up-tempo explorations of "It Don't Mean a Thing" and "Impromptu."" (Scott Yanow, Allmusic)
's Werelds snelste saxofonist werd Johnny Griffin wel eens genoemd - en hier horen we waarom. In 1957 speelde hij in Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers en hij heeft z'n nieuwe baas weten te verleiden tot deze sessie. Blakey opent de plaat met een knal en dan stóómt 't maar door. Bijzonder is dat er maarliefst 3 tenorsaxofonisten te horen zijn. Hank Mobley en John Coltrane bleken wel van dusdanig kaliber (en da's een understatement) dat ze het geweld van Griffin en Blakey konden bijbenen. Coltrane was eigenlijk helemaal niet geboekt voor deze sessie, Griffin kwam 'm op weg naar de studio toevallig tegen! Ook Lee Morgan (t) speelt op het scherpst van de snede. Wát een energie gaat er uit van deze muziek. "One of the greates hard bop jam sessions ever recorded" (allmusic). Rudy van Gelder registreerde indertijd en remasterde 41 jaar later.
"Considered Kenny Dorham's finest recording of his all-too-short career. This re-reissue has been newly remastered and presumably now includes all of the takes from these nonet and sextet sessions of 1955. Considering the time period, this date remains way ahead of the Latin-tinged and hard bop music that would follow. It would be difficult to assess the sextet being a step below the larger group effort, but only because it is much less Afro-Cuban. A first-rate recording for the under-appreciated Dorham, this one should be in every collection of all true music lovers." (Michael G. Nastos, Allmusic)
"Why any critic would think that Hank Mobley was at the end of his creative spark in 1963 is ridiculous, as this fine session proves. By 1963, Mobley had undergone a transformation of tone. Replacing the scintillating airiness of his late-'50s sides was a harder, more strident, almost honking one, due in part to the influence of John Coltrane and in part to Mobley's deeper concentration on the expressing blues feeling in his trademark hard bop tunes. Mobley assembled a crack band for this blues-drenched hard-rollicking set made up of material written by either him or trumpeter Lee Morgan. Other members of the ensemble were pianist Andrew Hill, drummer Philly Joe Jones, and bassist John Ore. All eight cuts here move with similar fluidity and offer a very gritty and realist approach to the roots of hard bop. Highly recommended." (Scott Yanow, Allmusic)
Killer-hardbop-album uit 1961 met een superbezetting: naast saxofonist Mobley is Freddie Hubbard (trompet) in topvorm. Ze worden bijgestaan door Wynton Kelly (piano) en Paul Chambers (bas). Het ensemble wordt voortdurend achter de voddengezeten door de energieke Art Blakey die opvallend zijn aanwezigheid laat blijken met knallend en roffelend spel.
"Hardbop op z'n best, dit vergeten album uit 1959 van een vergeten, te vroeg overleden pianist. Met schitterende bijdragen van Donald Byrd (ts), Hank Mobley (t), Art Blakey (d). Aangevuld met fraaie stukken uit 1957." (CdJ, JN)
"This is one of the best-known Hank Mobley recordings, and for good reason. Although none of his four originals ("Workout," "Uh Huh," "Smokin'," "Greasin' Easy") caught on, the fine saxophonist is in top form. He jams on the four tunes, plus "The Best Things in Life Are Free," with an all-star quintet of young modernists -- guitarist Grant Green, pianist Wynton Kelly, bassist Paul Chambers, and drummer Philly Joe Jones -- and shows that he was a much stronger player than his then-current boss Miles Davis seemed to think. This recommended CD reissue adds a version of "Three Coins in the Fountain" from the same date, originally released on "Another Workout", to the original LP program." (Scott Yanow, Allmusic)
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