Workout: The Music of Hank Mobley

This is a nicely structured and well-reasoned treatise on the work of the great Hank Mobley. Author Derek Ansell doesn't spend much time on Mobley's biography (much of which is unknown or known only through anecdotal testimony), but instead focuses on a mostly chronological walk-through his recorded output and its highlights. He offers passionate arguments about the virtues and value of specific tracks and albums. Although the book is occasionally repetitive, it continually sends the reader back to the music, and I found myself listening to my entire collection of Mobley's work, appreciating it anew and seeking out the few items I am missing from his large discography. This is a long overdue tribute to the fabulous music of a shy and introverted man who was ill-suited to cope with the “business” side of music. I might quibble about a few items I think he over or under-rates, but Derek Ansell has done jazz and Mobley a great service here