Dippin' is one of
Hank Mobley's finer moments, even considering that his entire Blue Note catalog is masterful, particularly his 1960s dates that reveal the depth and dimension of his understanding of harmonic invention -- all in the name of groove and swing, of course. This date, recorded on a single day in June of 1965, netted four
Mobley originals as well as two covers. The band included trumpeter
Lee Morgan, pianist
Harold Mabern, bassist
Larry Ridley, and drummer
Billy Higgins. The two-horn front line always served
Mobley well. Here, with
Morgan, the groove commences from the first notes of the title cut that opens the set. The short bluesy lines burst from the horns, and are turned inside out with elegant yet knotty lines that move the tune almost into pop territory but never venture far from the blues. The sprightly "Recado Bossa Nova," written by Djalma Ferreira, moves the band outside its comfort zone rhythmically, but
Mobley's horn chart is brilliant.
Higgins and
Ridley keep the bossa groove natural and steaming as the soloists begin taking the tune apart and putting it back together. There is one ballad on the set, "I See Your Face Before Me" composed by
Arthur Schwartz and
Howard Dietz. On it,
Mobley does his best
Ben Webster, blowing low and smoky and sweet, but the truth is that it doesn't belong on a program with so many hard bop swingers. The rest of the session is a pure joy and a fine document of
Mobley's abilities as a bandleader and composer. ~ Thom Jurek