Dwain

• Hank's sound is so easy going yet still swinging. Hank’s style is so approachable. Rhythm section is so dialed and so tight.

• His work has been criticized for a lack of innovation at times where cats were really starting to push the envelope. In my opinion I am glad this is the version of Hank that we got because he was so good at what he did and this run of albums with Blue Note are some of my favorites.

• This is most likely his best album in my opinion. We will definitely do some more Hank reviews on the podcast at some point.

Overall score: 9.3/10

Max

• This album is definitely some of the best in Straight-ahead jazz post-bebop. Hank is solid throughout and does stretch a bit. His sound has a unique, somewhat softer tone than a Coltrane or a big Illinois Jacquet or Gene Ammons sound. Mobley is often overlooked for all the wrong reasons. His lines are PERFECT! This is as close as you can get to perfect lines, time and phrasing. His solos on Remember and If I Should Lose You are like a Bebop Boot Camp. Many say the album is personally monumental, like Coltrane’s Giant Steps, but I’d compare it to Trane’s Blue Train album (both are Blue Note). Soul Station is a groovy, in-the-pocket, masterpiece that showcases the depth of the blues and what you can do with a swinging arrangement complete with an all-star cast of musicians.

Overall score: 9.2/10