Billboard : 05/27/1957
Score of 74

A blowing session of some heat and significance on material in the hard, clipped, boppish idiom. Lengthiness of tracks lend opportunity for players to spread out, solo-wise. Mobley continues to grow more articulate, tho the performances of Lee Morgan and H. Jones on Side One and D. Byrd and B. Harris on Side Two are equally facile. Thoughtful, rhythmically sound solo playing should help sell this one.

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Cash Box : 06/08/1957

The disk is divided into 2 groups, with Mobley and bassist Doug Watkins the only musicians on both sides of the pressing. Through Mobley’s effervescent tenor does most of the featured playing here, greatly aiding the flighty and happy mood of the affair are such stellar performers as Lee Morgan (trumpet); Donald Byrd (trumpet); Kenny Clarke and Art Taylor on drums; and Hank Jones and Barry Harris on piano. Original pieces. Terrific show of names, and they perform beautifully. Fine sessions.

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Oakland Tribune
Russ Wilson : 06/23/1957

The Jazz Message features tenorist Hank Mobley with two quintets. One includes Lee Morgan, the young trumpeter who gained wide notice with John Gillespie‘s big band; pianist Hank Jones, and drummer Art Taylor. The other group has Donald Byrd on trumpet, Barry Harris, piano, and Kenny Clarke, drums. Doug Watkins is bassist with both. A blowing session in the hard bop vein, this is notable for a comparison of the trumpeters, pianists and drummers and an indication of Mobley’s growth.

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Saturday Review
Martin Williams : 08/17/1957

Two quintets, having in common saxist Mobley and bassist D. Watkins, and recorded some time apart. Some suggestive things happen. Ubiquitous D. Byrd seems more creatively relaxed (and even playful) than on his other recent records. On Thad’s Blues very young L. Morgan plays what is (intended or not) a good-natured parody of some contemporary trumpet mannerisms; this may mean he will find his way out of them. Drummer K. Clarke‘s decision to return to France is certainly our loss.

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Down Beat : 09/05/1957
Don Gold : 3.5 stars

This session features tenor man Mobley with two different groups. In one, he is joined in the front line by young Lee Morgan, of the Dizzy Gillespie band; in the other he is joined by talented Donald Byrd. The rhythm sections, with Watkins in both, are more than competent, providing a rugged undercurrent for the horn soloists.

The success of this kind of set, essentially a free-blowing one, rests in the ability of the hornmen. Since Mobley appears on all sides, his playing was a prime factor in determining the above rating.

I was not moved by Mobley’s efforts in this collection. His solos, for the most part, are unimaginatively constructed. He seems more at ease in races than medium tempo tunes, a shortcoming he shares with other jazzmen who tend to feel jazz to be a single tempo form. There are no ballads here, so he cannot be evaluated in terms of gently flowing lines. Much of the activity here is of a frenetic nature and Mobley’s work in this context is undistinguished.

Morgan and Byrd play with a ferocity and nimbleness that makes them valuable parts of the crop of young trumpeters now being recorded. Jones assists with customary taste. Harris, a Detroit-bred pianist, indicates that he has the ability to state his ideas lucidly; he should be given some space to state them. Watkins is an asset to both groups. Drummers Taylor and Clarke play flawlessly.

Unfortunately, Mobley, with most of the blowing room, doesn’t match the accomplishments of his cohorts. In overall terms, the set itself is not heightened in value by the governing concept of utilizing a theme to begin and end, but avoiding it at all points between.

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Liner Notes by H. Alan Stein

Following the format established in Vol. 1 in the Jazz Message series, we again have two groups contributing their musical definitions of the message! “Freedom for All” is the message theme and, under Hank Mobley‘s able guidance, the groups set forth their oratory! The basis of the set is a framework of lines upon which are imposed extended space for free blowing by a combination of new and established jazz instrumentalists. Ozzie’s A&R credo – that good recorded jazz is best demonstrated by extended solo blowing, supported by arrangement rather than dominated by it, is fully in evidence! The B side was recorded first, shortly before Kenny “Klook” Clarke‘s departure for Europe, and features Don Byrd and new-star from Detroit Barry Harris. Note Harris’ middle-register solo style, reminiscent of Horace Silver, tho’ more relaxed in approach. Byrd, a name in his own right today, is the comparative young trumpet star who first debuted on Savoy and has since gone on to featured position in jazzdom’s leading combos. The listener will note the development from his earlier recordings into a more assured stylist here, although his bell-like tone and cleanliness of attack is ever-evident. Mobley generates much excitement throughout the set, but watch his harmonic expression and the brilliant 32nd note runs on B. For BB. On the Mobley-Byrd-Harris side, the listener’s attention is called to the lines. BB is a Tadd Dameron-like late ’40s expression, Blues Number Two reflects the ’50s effect on the bop line. In a walking tempo, its inverted syncopation approach to melody is typical of today’s jazz. On Space Flight, up tempo, Hank has combined tonal and linear effects with Klook’s explosive drumworks to achieve high drama. Dig the 4’s between trumpet-drums, tenor-drums, too! On the A side, both rhythm and front line undergo partial changes. Art Taylor, young drum star of the Blakey–Roach school, comps constantly behind the group, serving up a crackling background to spur on the soloists. Listen to him on Doug’s Minor. A fascinating bass solo by Watkins fades in mid-chorus into an increasing roll and dynamically building solo all over the drums. Note also the Latin-ish figures under the primary ensemble line of this track. Reminiscent of Max Roach’s Un Poco Loco figures, it is a rhythmic highpoint of the set. Bassist Watkins, one of today’s youngest and most able stars, solos on both “A” tracks. Ever-tasy Hank Jones provides maximum support to solo-backing and ensemble efforts. His single-noted spare solo work is superb! Lee Morgan, new tilted-trumpet star currently with Dizzy Gillespie‘s big band, blows up a storm. Utilizing a big-toned approach he roars through in a forceful, reminiscent, and humorous vein. Using an occasional half-valve effect, his style perfectly complements leader Mobley’s wailing tenor. Hank swings mightily, stating strength and moving more than competently through the 5 tracks in true star fashion. All in all, the Jazz Message is here to hear… so, C’mon in, the hearing is fine!

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Extracurricular Commentary Series: New… About Modern Drumming…

Much glamor and discussion has attended the evolution and influences that brought about today’s style of sax playing, trumpeter, piano playing. But… other than the traditional references to Kenny Clarke‘s bass drum “bombs” at Minton’s in the middle ’40s, little editorial discussion has been granted that most basic of jazz rhythm instruments – the Drums! What is modern jazz drumming? Why is it different than previous styles? Where did it stem from?

At the end of World War II, due to the efforts of 3 outstanding drummers, the style and approach to rhythmic and solo drumming underwent a revolution. The men and their specialties? Sid Catlett for brushes, Dave Tough for counter-rhythmic interpolation, and Jo Jones for cymbal emphasis. Through their pioneering efforts, the early (and still leading) modern school drummers were able to expand the drum “sound” into a fully accepted school today.

Emphasis switched from heavy 4-to-the-bar bass drum beat with accompanying “DAH-dit-duh-DAH” figures on Hi-Hat cymbals and off-beats on snare drum to a Cymbal-dominant rhythm structure. Today, in place of drums playing the 4 beats and accenting WITH the ensemble, we hear a TOP cymbal that rings through playing the “DAH-dit-duh-DAH” pattern in a continuing swish sound, accompanied by the closing Hi-Hat cymbals giving a strong “Chick” sound on off-beats. The Snare drum and bass drum are reserved for counter-rhythmic figures AGAINST the ensemble to set up an extra tension point and heighten the drama of the group sound. Also, the dimensions of the drum set has changed! Bass Drums have shrunken, Snare drums are thinner, while cymbals get bigger, Bigger, BIGGER.

Solo expression has gone from rudimentary expression (i.e. Gene Krupa, Cozy Cole in Swing days) that utilized figures and effects from African tom-tom recordings to a Caribbean-influenced polyrhythmic exploration which cuts against the pattern! The overall expression is subtler with an implied tempo punctuated ONLY on beats 2 and 4 by the Hi-Hat cymbals and spurred on by the busy comping of the snare and bass drum. It’s a swinging, cohesive sound, perfectly suited for today’s modern harmonic and melodic expression. Where next? You tell me!