1984 · Album
Far Away Lands
Recorded May 26, 1967 · Blue Note · Produced by Alfred Lion
Seventeen Years Late and Still Worth It
A relaxed, unhurried session that rewards patience more than it demands attention.
By 1967, Hank Mobley was in an odd spot. Blue Note had been his home for years, but the label's direction was shifting, and plenty of sessions from this era sat in the vault for a long time before anyone heard them. Far Away Lands (1984) is one of those records — cut in May 1967, shelved, and not released until 1984. That gap is worth keeping in mind when you listen, because this isn't a comeback record or a statement. It's just a good working band playing well on a Tuesday afternoon, or whenever it was.
The lineup here is genuinely strong. Donald Byrd on trumpet gives the front line a warm, rounded sound that pairs naturally with Mobley's tenor — neither of them is pushing hard, and that turns out to be the right call. Cedar Walton on piano is the quiet engine of the whole session; he's comping intelligently throughout and his solos are clean without being showy. Ron Carter on bass and Billy Higgins on drums are about as reliable a rhythm section as you could ask for in this period. Higgins in particular keeps everything feeling light and open.
The album doesn't have one track that jumps out and grabs you by the collar, and that's fine. Mobley was never really that kind of player. What he did well was sustain a mood, keep the swing comfortable, and play melodies that made sense. This record does exactly that. If you already like Mobley's Blue Note work from the early sixties, this fits naturally alongside it. If you're new to him, start with Soul Station (1960) first — but come back to this one.
Who's playing
Where next?
More by Hank Mobley
All 41 albums →
The musicians on this record
Where? 1961
Ron Carter
plays double bass here
plays double bass here
This Is for You John 1987
Cedar Walton
plays piano here
plays piano here
♫
Bridgework 1986
Billy Higgins
plays drums (drum set) here
plays drums (drum set) here
