Billboard : 08/26/1957
Score of 73

Mobley‘s unit, in tradition of Jazz Messengers, generates a good deal of excitement. Material is in staccato, boppish vein, has brittle quality, but is rhythmically contagious. Farmer and Silver are notable in solo stints. More emphasis on dynamics would have helped. However, rhythmic vitality should attract a number of buyers.

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Cashbox : 09/14/1957

The quintet with one exception (Art Farmer, trumpet) comprised the now disbanded Jazz Messengers. Tenor saxist Mobley and his four other jazzists rip with vigor through four sessions, settling with warmth and blues on two. The affairs are all Mobley originals. Other members of the quintet include Art Blakey (drums); Horace Silver (piano); and Doug Watkins (bass). Talented musicians, expertly displaying their jazz know-how.

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Liner Notes by Robert Levin

On a cold, rainy Friday night in December of 1955 a jazz concert was held at the Far Rockaway High School auditorium in Long Island .This was the first of what turned out to be many such concerts at the school and one of the first of its kind on the east coast.

The purpose of the concert was to educate and enlighten the student body (made up of youths ranging in age from fourteen to eighteen) in the area of jazz – good jazz. And so the Jazz Messengers (Hank Mobley, Horace Silver, Art Blakey, Kenny Dorham and Doug Watkins) were asked to appear.

Harry Colomby, who teaches American History at the school, promoted the affair and beginning at 8 o’clock waited nervously outside in the bitter cold for the Messengers to arrive. They were late. The show was scheduled to get under way at 8:30 and Colomby had planned to open with them, but at 8:45 with his star attractions unaccounted for he was forced to begin with a pick up band. This group played for almost an hour, resorting to various Rock and Roll tactics to keep the youthful (and as yet “unhip”) audience interested in the proceedings. Colomby shivered and prayed. At 9:35 the headlights of a black sedan pierced the misty night air and Colomby uncrossed his half frozen fingers. The Jazz Messengers had arrived.

It seems that several obstacles had been encountered. The group was engaged at the Storyville in Boston and had traveled down to New York expressly for the concert. The trip was a long and tiring one and during its course Watkins’ bass suffered a mishap and he had spent a great deal of time trying to locate another one. Finding the school in the miserable weather had not been an easy task either.

At any rate the unit (showing no visible signs of wear) was immediately rushed on stage and after a brief introduction, began to play. There was no honking, no suggestive twists of the pelvis, no unnecessary extraneous exhibitions. But the kids listened – they dug. Exceptionally talented musicians were “teaching jazz” as Blakey put it, and I doubt that the kids would have objected to homework.

| don’t know how much the Messengers received in the way of monetary compensation for that gig (it could not have been much more than scale, funds being supplied by the school General Organization) but they played with a vigor and enthusiasm reserved by most musicians for after hours sessions.

The Messengers, as such, are no longer together but all except Dorham are heard on this LP and the same aggressive drive and expressiveness that sparked their original group (represented on Blue Note BLP 1507, BLP 1508, and BLP 1518) is quite evident here.

Hank Mobley is the leader on this date and conclusively proves what he had given strong indication of in his earlier recordings (BLP 1540 and BLP 1514) under his own name, those listed above and with the Horace Silver Quintet BLP 1539; that he is one of the more important tenor men in modern jazz. Born in Elizabeth, New Jersey July 7, 1930, Hank picked up the tenor sax when he was sixteen and worked his first professional job when nineteen. Before joining the Messengers he played with Lester Young, Wardell Gray, Max Roach and Dizzy Gillespie among others.

Art Farmer, the trumpet on these sides, has never been more virile and imaginative. Art, born in Council Bluffs, Iowa August 21, 1928 and raised in Phoenix, Arizona, is a truly gifted but too often overlooked musician (why is that?) who has worked with many prominent artists representing a variety of schools and styles of jazz; Horace Henderson, Lionel Hampton, Lester Young and Sonny Rollins, to mention only a few.

Doug Watkins hails from Detroit, his birthdate, March 2, 1934 and has been on the New York scene for only three years. During this short period (most of it spent with the Messengers) he has emerged as one of the more promising young bassists who is constantly growing, both as a soloist and accompanist.

Horace Silver and Art Blakey are perhaps the two most ubiquitous cats around, and deservedly so. Few pianists swing with Horace’s uncanny sense of rhythm and comping skill, and Art is one of the two or three top drummers. Born in Norwalk, Connecticut September 2, 1928, Silver has shined in countless groups and has recorded rather extensively for Blue Note in units fronted by such as Miles Davis (BLP 1504), Jay Jay Johnson (BLP 1506), Paul Chambers (BLP 1534), J.R. Monterose (BLP 1536), Lou Donaldson (BLP 1537), Lee Morgan (BLP 1538 and 1541), Blakey (BLP 1521 and BLP 1522), Mobley (BLP 1540 and BLP 1544) and with his own trio (BLP 1520) and quintet (BLP 1539).

Blakey, the “old man” of the group was born in Pittsburgh, October 11, 1919. He too is well represented on Blue Note having recorded with his own ensemble (BLP 1521 and 1522), Miles Davis (BLP 1501 and BLP 1502), Milt Jackson (BLP 1509), Thelonious Monk (BLP 1510[/B] and BLP 1511), Clifford Brown (BLP 1526[/B]), Lou Donaldson (BLP 1537), Jimmy Smith (BLP 1547, 1548, BLP 1551 and 1552), Mobley (BLP 1544), Cliff Jordan and John Gilmore (BLP 1549).

All the tunes included in this album are impressive, engrossing Mobley originals. Side one starts with the bouncing, “bluesy” Funk in Deep Freeze. Farmer leads off with one of his typically absorbing solos after which Silver expounds on his theory of what Funk is all about. Watkins has a short, well constructed stint before Hank comes on, and he comes on strong.

Wham and They’re Off opens with a rocking Blakey statement, a bright unison theme and Hank‘s happy, swinging tenor. Farmer in a similar groove follows the leader with Silver right behind him. Blakey adds some keen, punctuating remarks (most of them exclamation points) and a brace of driving, characteristic “breaks.”

Fin De L’Affaire (End of the Affair) is a pretty ballad, reflective and poignant. Hank, Art F. (muted) and Horace discuss ended affairs they’ve known in brooding, pensive tones. Watkins and Blakey provide properly sensitive backing. .

Everyone stretches out and blows at length on Startin’ From Scratch, a swift, uptempo opus, and the wailing continues with Stella-Wise, slightly reduced in tempo but no less exuberant.

Base On Balls, a minor blues, begins with what has, of late, become the standard opening for a minor blues; Watkins’ walking bass, followed by some very funky Silver piano, a Blakey drum roll and Mobley’s soulful tenor. Farmer projects a provocative “down home” feeling before Watkins “walks out.”

Hank Mobley’s voice – a significant one – has mellowed, come of age as it were. It is vital, flexible and potent and should be heard.