Hard bop legend Freddie Hubbard dies

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Freddie Hubbard will always be identified with the pulsating, tough sound of 1960s Blue Note hard bop but the curiosity of his career was that he was also present on some of the pivotal free jazz records of the 60s, Ornette Coleman’s Free Jazz, Dolphy’s Out To Lunch and Coltrane’s Ascension. His death on 29 December at the age of 70 came after a heart attack the month before and followed a tentative comeback after years of reduced activity associated with a collapsed embouchure in the 90s which required surgery on his lips. Born in Indianoplis, Hubbard played in the school band and came under the influence of famed guitarist Wes Montgomery and his brother, Monk. In the late-50s Hubbard moved to New York, jamming with Coltrane in Harlem and becoming part of a thriving jazz scene at the time. He was signed to Blue Note records and made his debut for the label, Open Sesame which paved the way to his becoming a fixture on the label, not just as a leader but also as a sideman on important albums such as Herbie Hancock’s debut Takin’ Off and Maiden Voyage. His explosive, quick-witted approach made him a popular draw on the live circuit and a key member of Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers.