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Frederick Dewayne Hubbard (April 7, 1938 – December 29, 2008) was an American
jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a majo ...
trumpeter. He played
bebop Bebop or bop is a style of jazz developed in the early-to-mid-1940s in the United States. The style features compositions characterized by a fast tempo, complex chord progressions with rapid chord changes and numerous changes of key, instrum ...
,
hard bop Hard bop is a subgenre of jazz that is an extension of bebop (or "bop") music. Journalists and record companies began using the term in the mid-1950s to describe a new current within jazz that incorporated influences from rhythm and blues, gosp ...
, and post-bop styles from the early 1960s onwards. His unmistakable and influential tone contributed to new perspectives for modern jazz and bebop.


Career beginnings

Hubbard started playing the mellophone and trumpet in his school band at Arsenal Technical High School in Indianapolis,
Indiana Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th ...
. Trumpeter Lee Katzman, former sideman with
Stan Kenton Stanley Newcomb Kenton (December 15, 1911 – August 25, 1979) was an American popular music and jazz artist. As a pianist, composer, arranger and band leader, he led an innovative and influential jazz orchestra for almost four decades. Though Ke ...
, recommended that he begin studying at the Arthur Jordan Conservatory of Music (now the Jordan College of the Arts at Butler University) with Max Woodbury, the principal trumpeter of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. In his teens, Hubbard worked locally with brothers
Wes Wes or WES may refer to: * Westmorland, county in England, Chapman code __NOTOC__ People and fictional characters * Wes (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the name * Wes Madiko (1964–2021), Cameroonian musici ...
and Monk Montgomery, and worked with bassist Larry Ridley and saxophonist James Spaulding. In 1958, at the age of 20, he moved to New York and began playing with some of the best jazz players of the era, including Philly Joe Jones, Sonny Rollins, Slide Hampton, Eric Dolphy, J. J. Johnson, and
Quincy Jones Quincy Delight Jones Jr. (born March 14, 1933) is an American record producer, musician, songwriter, composer, arranger, and film and television producer. His career spans 70 years in the entertainment industry with a record of 80 Grammy Award n ...
. On June 19, 1960, Hubbard made his first record as a leader, ''
Open Sesame "Open sesame" (french: Sésame, ouvre-toi; ar, افتح يا سمسم) is a magical phrase in the story of " Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves" in Antoine Galland's version of ''One Thousand and One Nights''. It opens the mouth of a cave in whic ...
'', at the beginning of his contract with
Blue Note Records Blue Note Records is an American jazz record label owned by Universal Music Group and operated under Capitol Music Group. Established in 1939 by Alfred Lion and Max Margulis, it derived its name from the blue notes of jazz and the blues. Or ...
, with saxophonist Tina Brooks, pianist McCoy Tyner, bassist Sam Jones, and drummer Clifford Jarvis. Six days later he returned the favor to Brooks and recorded with him on '' True Blue''.


1960s

In December 1960, Hubbard was invited to play on Ornette Coleman's '' Free Jazz'', after Coleman had heard him performing with Don Cherry. Then in May 1961, Hubbard played on '' Olé Coltrane'', John Coltrane's final recording session for
Atlantic Records Atlantic Recording Corporation (simply known as Atlantic Records) is an American record label founded in October 1947 by Ahmet Ertegun and Herb Abramson. Over its first 20 years of operation, Atlantic earned a reputation as one of the most ...
. Coltrane also hired Hubbard, Eric Dolphy and
Art Davis Arthur David Davis (December 6, 1934 – July 29, 2007) was a double-bassist, known for his work with Thelonious Monk, John Coltrane, Dizzy Gillespie, McCoy Tyner and Max Roach. Biography Davis was born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, United S ...
, who all appeared ''Olé'', to record '' Africa/Brass'', Coltrane's first album with
Impulse! Impulse! Records (occasionally styled as "¡mpulse! Records" and "¡!") is an American jazz record company and label established by Creed Taylor in 1960. John Coltrane was among Impulse!'s earliest signings. Thanks to consistent sales and positiv ...
, which was begun just after ''Olé''. In August 1961, Hubbard recorded ''
Ready for Freddie ''Ready for Freddie'' is an album by trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, released on the Blue Note label in 1962 as BLP 4085 and BST 84085. In 2003, it was remastered and issued on CD with the addition of two alternate takes. It contains performances by ...
'' (Blue Note), which was also his first collaboration with saxophonist
Wayne Shorter Wayne Shorter (born August 25, 1933) is an American jazz saxophonist and composer. Shorter came to prominence in the late 1950s as a member of, and eventually primary composer for, Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers. In the 1960s, he joined Miles Dav ...
. Hubbard became Shorter's bandmate when he replaced Lee Morgan in
Art Blakey Arthur Blakey (October 11, 1919 – October 16, 1990) was an American jazz drummer and bandleader. He was also known as Abdullah Ibn Buhaina after he converted to Islam for a short time in the late 1940s. Blakey made a name for himself in the ...
's Jazz Messengers later in 1961. He played on more than 10 live and studio recordings with Blakey during one of the most acclaimed eras of the Jazz Messengers, including '' Caravan'', '' Ugetsu'', ''
Mosaic A mosaic is a pattern or image made of small regular or irregular pieces of colored stone, glass or ceramic, held in place by plaster/mortar, and covering a surface. Mosaics are often used as floor and wall decoration, and were particularly pop ...
'', and '' Free for All''. In all, during the 1960s, he recorded eight studio albums as a bandleader for Blue Note, and more than two dozen as a sideman. Hubbard remained with Blakey until 1966, leaving to form the first of several small groups of his own, which featured, among others, his Blue note associate James Spaulding, pianist Kenny Barron and drummer Louis Hayes. This group recorded for Atlantic. It was during this time that he began to develop his own sound, distancing himself from the early influences of Clifford Brown and Morgan, and won the '' DownBeat'' jazz magazine "New Star" award on trumpet."Freddie Hubbard"
NEA Jazz Masters, 2006.
Throughout the 1960s, Hubbard played as a sideman on some of the most important albums from that era, including Oliver Nelson's '' The Blues and the Abstract Truth'', Eric Dolphy's '' Out to Lunch!'', Herbie Hancock's '' Maiden Voyage'', and
Wayne Shorter Wayne Shorter (born August 25, 1933) is an American jazz saxophonist and composer. Shorter came to prominence in the late 1950s as a member of, and eventually primary composer for, Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers. In the 1960s, he joined Miles Dav ...
's '' Speak No Evil''. Hubbard was described as "the most brilliant trumpeter of a generation of musicians who stand with one foot in 'tonal' jazz and the other in the atonal camp". Though he never fully embraced the free jazz of the 1960s, he appeared on two of its landmark albums: Coleman's '' Free Jazz'' and Coltrane's '' Ascension'', as well as on Sonny Rollins' " new thing" track, "
East Broadway Run Down ''East Broadway Run Down'' is an album by jazz saxophonist Sonny Rollins recorded in 1966 and released in 1967 by Impulse Records, his last album before industry pressures led him to take a six-year hiatus.Wynn, Ron. (October 19, 1998Survivors of ...
" (on the 1966 album of the same name), with Elvin Jones and Jimmy Garrison.


1970s

Hubbard achieved his greatest popular success in the 1970s with a series of albums for Creed Taylor and his record label CTI Records, overshadowing Stanley Turrentine, Hubert Laws, and
George Benson George Washington Benson (born March 22, 1943) is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He began his professional career at the age of 19 as a jazz guitarist. A former child prodigy, Benson first came to prominence in the 1960s, pla ...
. Although his early 1970s jazz albums '' Red Clay'', '' First Light'', '' Straight Life'', and ''
Sky Dive ''Sky Dive'' is the twentieth album by jazz trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, recorded in 1972. It was his fourth album released on Creed Taylor's CTI label and features performances by Hubbard, Keith Jarrett, George Benson, Ron Carter, Billy Cobha ...
'' were particularly well received and considered among his best work, the albums he recorded later in the decade were attacked by critics for their commercialism. ''First Light'' won a 1972
Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pre ...
and included pianists Herbie Hancock and Richard Wyands, guitarists Eric Gale and
George Benson George Washington Benson (born March 22, 1943) is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He began his professional career at the age of 19 as a jazz guitarist. A former child prodigy, Benson first came to prominence in the 1960s, pla ...
, bassist Ron Carter, drummer Jack DeJohnette, and percussionist Airto Moreira. In 1994, Hubbard, collaborating with Chicago jazz vocalist/co-writer Catherine Whitney, had lyrics set to the music of ''First Light''. In 1977, Hubbard joined the all-star V.S.O.P. band, which also featured Herbie Hancock, Tony Williams, Ron Carter and
Wayne Shorter Wayne Shorter (born August 25, 1933) is an American jazz saxophonist and composer. Shorter came to prominence in the late 1950s as a member of, and eventually primary composer for, Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers. In the 1960s, he joined Miles Dav ...
. All of the band's members except Hubbard were members of the mid-1960s Miles Davis Quintet. Several live recordings of this group were released as '' V.S.O.P'', '' V.S.O.P. The Quintet'', '' V.S.O.P. Tempest in the Colosseum'' (all 1977) and ''
V.S.O.P. Live Under the Sky ''V.S.O.P : Live Under the Sky'' is a 1979 live album by the V.S.O.P. Quintet, a record of a performance at the 1979 Live Under the Sky Festival as it was performed live in Japan over two days. The first day, which took place during a furious r ...
'' (1979). Hubbard's trumpet playing was featured on the track "Zanzibar" from the 1978 Billy Joel album '' 52nd Street'' (the 1979 Grammy Award Winner for Best Album). The track ends with a fade during Hubbard's performance. An unfaded version was released on the 2004 Billy Joel boxed set ''
My Lives ''My Lives'' is a box set compilation of demos, outtakes, B-sides, soundtrack cuts, live recordings and album cuts by American singer/songwriter Billy Joel. It was released on November 22, 2005. The album name is derivative of the Billy Joel son ...
''.


Later life

In the 1980s Hubbard was again leading his own jazz group – this time with Billy Childs and Larry Klein, among others, as members – attracting favorable reviews, playing at concerts and festivals in the US and Europe, often in the company of Joe Henderson, playing a repertory of
hard bop Hard bop is a subgenre of jazz that is an extension of bebop (or "bop") music. Journalists and record companies began using the term in the mid-1950s to describe a new current within jazz that incorporated influences from rhythm and blues, gosp ...
and modal jazz pieces. Hubbard played at the Monterey Jazz Festival in 1980 and in 1989 (with Bobby Hutcherson). He and Woody Shaw recorded two albums as co-leaders for Blue Note and played live concerts together from 1985 to 1987. In 1987, he was a co-leader with
Benny Golson Benny Golson (born January 25, 1929) is an American bebop/ hard bop jazz tenor saxophonist, composer, and arranger. He came to prominence with the big bands of Lionel Hampton and Dizzy Gillespie, more as a writer than a performer, before launc ...
on the ''Stardust'' album. In 1988, he teamed up once more with Blakey at an engagement in the Netherlands, from which came ''Feel the Wind''. In 1988, Hubbard played with Elton John, contributing trumpet and flugelhorn and trumpet solos on the track " Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters (Part Two)" for John's '' Reg Strikes Back'' album. In 1990, he appeared in Japan headlining an American-Japanese concert package which also featured Elvin Jones, Sonny Fortune, pianists
George Duke George M. Duke (January 12, 1946 – August 5, 2013) was an American keyboardist, composer, singer-songwriter and record producer. He worked with numerous artists as arranger, music director, writer and co-writer, record producer and as a pr ...
and Benny Green, bass players Ron Carter, and Rufus Reid, with jazz vocalist Salena Jones. He also performed at the Warsaw Jazz Festival, at which ''Live at the Warsaw Jazz Festival'' (Jazzmen 1992) was recorded. Following a long setback of health problems and a serious lip injury in 1992 where he ruptured his upper lip and subsequently developed an infection, Hubbard was again playing and recording occasionally, even if not at the high level that he set for himself during his earlier career. His best records ranked with the finest in his field.


Legacy and honors

In 2006, the
National Endowment for the Arts The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is an independent agency of the United States federal government that offers support and funding for projects exhibiting artistic excellence. It was created in 1965 as an independent agency of the federa ...
accorded Hubbard its highest honor in jazz, the NEA Jazz Masters Award. On December 29, 2008, Hubbard died in Sherman Oaks, California from complications caused by a heart attack he suffered on November 26. Hubbard had close ties to the
Jazz Foundation of America The Jazz Foundation of America (JFA) is a non-profit organization based in Manhattan, New York that was founded in 1989. Its programs seek to help jazz and blues musicians in need of emergency funds and connect them with performance opportunitie ...
in his later years. He is quoted as saying, "When I had congestive heart failure and couldn't work, The Jazz Foundation paid my mortgage for several months and saved my home! Thank God for those people.""Freddie Hubbard"
, Jazz Foundation of America.
The Jazz Foundation of America's Musicians' Emergency Fund took care of him during times of illness. After his death, Hubbard's estate requested that tax-deductible donations be made in his name to the Jazz Foundation of America.


Discography


As leader/co-leader

''Sortable table with last recording session for each release as primal order.'' Compilation
* '' Polar AC'' (CTI, 1975) - recorded 1971–1973


As sideman

''Sortable table with main artist alphabetically as primal order.''


Filmography

* 1981 – ''Studiolive'' (Sony) * 1985 – '' One Night with Blue Note'' * 2004 – ''Live at the Village Vanguard'' (Immortal) * 2005 – ''All Blues'' (FS World Jazz) * 2009 – ''Freddie Hubbard: One of a Kind''


References


External links

* * *
Freddie Hubbard interview
In Black America – Jazz Trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, April 1, 1984 at the American Archive of Public Broadcasting
Howard Mandel, "Jazz Trumpeter Freddie Hubbard Dies"
NPR Music, December 30, 2008. {{DEFAULTSORT:Hubbard, Freddie 1938 births 2008 deaths African-American jazz musicians American jazz trumpeters American male trumpeters American jazz composers American male jazz composers American jazz flugelhornists American jazz cornetists Grammy Award winners Hard bop trumpeters Jazz-funk trumpeters Jazz fusion trumpeters The Jazz Messengers members Mainstream jazz trumpeters Musicians from Indianapolis Post-bop trumpeters Soul-jazz trumpeters Enja Records artists Blue Note Records artists Columbia Records artists Prestige Records artists Atlantic Records artists Elektra Records artists Timeless Records artists 21st-century American composers 20th-century American composers V.S.O.P. (group) members Resonance Records artists 20th-century jazz composers CTI Records artists HighNote Records artists Pablo Records artists 20th-century American male musicians 21st-century jazz composers