1967 · Album
Hi Voltage
Recorded October 9, 1967 · Blue Note · Produced by Not specified in source material
A Solid Blue Note Session That Delivers
Mobley and McLean trade ideas with real heat, pushing each other without ever losing sight of the melody.
Hi Voltage arrived in 1968 as a straightforward blowing session — nothing fancy, no concept, just Mobley and company doing what they do best. The tenor saxophonist was well into his Blue Note years by then, and this album sits comfortably among his strongest work for the label. AllMusic reviewer Thom Jurek ranked it with the very best of Mobley's Blue Note offerings, and that's fair: the date has momentum and genuine musicianship without ever straining for effect.
The core of the band works well together. Jackie McLean on alto sax keeps things brisk and engaged, and Blue Mitchell on trumpet adds clarity to the front line. The rhythm section — John Hicks on piano, Billy Higgins on drums, and Bob Cranshaw on bass — locks in tight and gives Mobley room to breathe without ever fading into the background. Mobley's tenor has that warm, slightly breathy quality he's known for, and here it cuts through without aggression. The tracks move along at a good clip; this feels like a session where everyone showed up knowing what to do.
If you're new to Mobley, this is a solid entry point — not his most ambitious work, but honest and musical in a way that aged well. It's a Blue Note album from the late sixties that sounds like a session rather than a statement, which is exactly what it is. The recording doesn't reach for anything it can't grab, and that restraint is part of what makes it work.
Who's playing
Bob Cranshawbass
John Hickspiano
Jackie McLeanalto saxophone
Hank Mobleytenor saxophone
Blue Mitchelltrumpet
Billy Higginsdrums
Where next?
More by Hank Mobley
All 41 albums →
The musicians on this record
Destination… Out! 1964
Jackie McLean
plays alto saxophone here
plays alto saxophone here
♫
The Oracle 1989
Billy Higgins
plays drums (drum set) here
plays drums (drum set) here
