Hank Mobley
Henry Mobley (July 7, 1930 – May 30, 1986 Eastman,Georgia) was an American tenor saxophonist and composer. Mobley was described by Leonard Feather as the “middleweight champion of the tenor saxophone”, a metaphor used to describe his tone, that was neither as aggressive as John Coltrane nor as mellow as Lester Young, and his style that was laid-back, subtle and melodic, especially in contrast with players such as Coltrane and Sonny Rollins. The critic Stacia Proefrock claimed him “one of the most underrated musicians of the bop era.” Mobley’s compositions include “Double Exposure”, “Soul Station”, and “Dig Dis”.
Mobley became addicted to heroin in the late 1950s, and in 1958 was imprisoned. He continued to struggle with his drug addiction during the 1960s.
A longtime smoker, Mobley was forced to retire in the mid-1970s, due to lung problems. He also had problems with homelessness in his later years and struggled to stay in touch with his fellow musicians. He worked two engagements at the Angry Squire in New York City – November 22 and 23, 1985, and January 11, 1986 – in a quartet with Duke Jordan and guest singer Lodi Carr, a few months before his death.
He died of pneumonia in 1986, aged 55, having also suffered from lung cancer.