Freddie Hubbard- Without a Song: Live in Europe 1969 – Blue Note 50999 6 97093 26, 69:43 ***** [Release date: June 2, 09]:
(Freddie Hubbard, trumpet; Roland Hanna, piano; Ron Carter, bass; Louis Hayes, drums)
Blue Note has provided the first real treat from their vaults this year with their release of live European 1969 prime Freddie Hubbard quartet dates from England and Germany. They not only showcase Hubbard at his blistering best backed by a peerless rhythm section, but they do honor to the late trumpet genius, who passed away at the end of 2008. By the 1990s Freddie had largely lost his chops due to personal and health issues. I was privileged to attend his 70th birthday party celebration at Yoshi’s in San Francisco last Spring. Hubbard could barely play a trumpet phrase then, but the love in the house that night was palpable when the audience sang Happy Birthday to him. There was not a dry eye in the house and Freddie choked up as well. We knew then that Freddie’s playing days were over but the pleasure the man had brought us over the years (1950s thru the early 80s) made it an honor to be in the same room as Mr. Hubbard.
Hubbard’s personal problems and his unreliability after the late 80s brought both disappointment and sadness. Those of us that never saw this trumpet giant in his true prime are now provided an opportunity to hear new material recorded when Freddie could blow to the rafters. On these previously unreleased tracks recorded by Sonny Lester, we experience the Freddie that had few peers in his prime, save Lee Morgan and a bit later, Woody Shaw.
Whether it was the title track, and The Things We Did Last Summer, where Freddie shows his lyrical side, inspired by Roland Hanna and Louis Hayes, or the more up tempo Night in Tunisia, we are witnessing a trumpeter fully in charge. Trumpet notes, whether in rapid staccato, or in burnished warm tone, display the Hubbard strut that he made famous over numerous Blue Note and later CTI, Atlantic, and Columbia sides.
Blues by Five gives the whole quartet a chance to show their mastery of the jazz idiom. Roland Hanna’s fingers fly across the keyboard, while Louis Hayes’ cymbals snap and Ron Carter’s rock solid walking bass anchor the Red Garland composition.
Space Track shows the modal direction that jazz was taking at that time – influenced by Miles Davis, while Hub-Tones and Body and Soul show respectively the brash and tender sides of this trumpet giant.
Freddie Hubbard may have been taken from us, but Without a Song is a rare opportunity to hear unreleased tracks from the man while he was a legend. Many thanks to Michael Cuscuna at Blue Note for letting us re-experience Freddie Hubbard in his prime!
TrackList: Without a Song, The Things We Did Last Summer, A Night in Tunisia, Blues By Five, Body and Soul, Space Track, Hub-Tones
– Jeff Krow
