These nine ballads were recorded by
Hank Mobley between 1955 and 1967. Apart from being a genuinely wonderful set of romantic tunes,
Music for Lovers showcases a different side of the great hard bop tenor's playing.
Mobley's approach to ballads was reverent, but it was loose, too.
Mobley brought a big helping of soul to his readings of standards such as "Darn That Dream," "I Should Care," and even the ethereal "Deep in a Dream." However, as this small collection illustrates, it is in his own tunes that
Mobley shines brightest. First, there's the beautiful "No More Goodbyes," recorded with
Bob Cranshaw,
Billy Higgins, and
John Hicks from a late date in 1967. His solo touches on
Ben Webster's breathy tone for a moment, and then winds out gently with blues accents in each chorus. But perhaps the finest moment here is on his "My Sin," recorded in 1965 with
Freddie Hubbard (a wonderful match for
Mobley on the front line), bassist
Paul Chambers,
Barry Harris, and
Higgins once again. Here is where
Mobley actually sings though his horn, as
Hubbard and
Harris prod him to go deeper. For the price, this is a solid little comp that achieves its objective and then some. ~ Thom Jurek