Freddie Hubbard Blue Spirits CD

This excellent 1966 set features a diverse range of ensembles, all lead by trumpeter Freddie Hubbard. The first is an octet, featuring congas and a euphonium; the second, a seven-member group, including the great McCoy Tyner on piano; the third is a sextet that boasts drummer Elvin Jones and Herbie Hancock (who doubles on piano and celeste). James Spaulding lends his alto sax and flute to two of the groups, and Joe Henderson is in two as well (his melodic, yet adventurous, tenor sax playing is especially notable). Also featured are tenor player Hank Mobley, bassist Reggie Workman, pianist Harold Mabern, and drummer Pete La Roca.

The fare on BLUE SPIRITS is in keeping with the hard bop of the era. A heavy soul-jazz influence is heard on the opening "Soul Surge" and the Latin-tinged "Cunga Black," but Hubbard's work is always challenging (the driving "Jodo") and often impressionistic (the moody, spectral title track). The revolving cast of players keeps thing interesting (especially for jazz fans familiar with the respective styles of the musicians), and the tonal variation created by the different instrumentation intrigues. This reissue of the original LP includes two bonus tracks (from a session that took place the following year), increasing the stock of this fine bop outing.

This CD, Freddie Hubbard's last Blue Note release of the 1960s (with the exception of the blowing session The Night of the Cookers), adds two numbers to the original LP program and features the great trumpeter in three challenging settings ranging from a sextet to an octet. Hubbard uses such sidemen as altoist James Spaulding, tenors Joe Henderson and Hank Mobley, the euphonium of Kiane Zawadi, pianists Harold Mabern, McCoy Tyner and Herbie Hancock, bassists Larry Ridley, Bob Cranshaw and Reggie Workman, drummers Clifford Jarvis, Pete La Roca and Elvin Jones, the congas of Big Black, and on one song, bassoonist Hosea Taylor. The set is comprised of seven diverse Hubbard originals and, even though none of the songs caught on to become standards, the music is quite challenging and fairly memorable. The 2004 Rudy Van Gelder edition features completely remastered sound, and the addition of two bonus tracks recorded in 1966, a year after the album sessions. "The Melting Pot" and "True Colors" feature a third lineup, that includes tenorman Joe Henderson, Herbie Hancock, saxophonist and bassoonist Hosea Taylor, Reggie Workman on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums.~ Scott Yanow and Thom Jurek

Additional Tracks

Liner Note Authors: Nat Hentoff; Bob Blumenthal.

Recording information: Van Gelder Studios, Englewood Cliffs, NJ (02/19/1965-03/05/1966).

Photographer: Francis Wolff.

Personnel: Freddie Hubbard (trumpet); Freddie Hubbard; Hosea Taylor (bassoon); Joe Henderson (tenor saxophone); Kiane Zawadi (euphonium); Larry Ridley, Reggie Workman (bass instrument); Big Black (congas); James Spaulding (flute, alto saxophone); Hank Mobley (tenor saxophone); Herbie Hancock (piano, celesta); Harold Mabern, McCoy Tyner (piano); Clifford Jarvis, Elvin Jones, Pete La Roca (drums).

Audio Remasterer: Rudy Van Gelder.