Five years late but no matter – this is good, hard-hitting Hubbard and not one of his casual throw-away albums. Here Hubbard responds to the demands made on him by four excellent companions. The rhythm section really cooks with Davis and Hayes driving like mad and Hanna supplying challenging feeds for the horns.
When he puts his mind to it Hubbard can be superb as on Without A Song, where he fashions a hot, biting solo. Daniels proves to be a fine partner and his jagged lines on this uptempo outing are a treat. Hanna spurns the obvious and Davis is like Mount Everest – unrivalled. The exchanges between Hubbard and Hayes are quite exceptional.
Reaffirming the point that good standard tunes can still provide some of the most satisfactory springboards for improvisation, Hubbard and company race at breakneck speed through Cole Porter’s Just One Of Those Things. The trumpeter’s technique is at full stretch here and how he uses it is miraculous. Tempos like this have been seldom heard since the bebop era. Offhand I can only think of Sonny Rollins of today’s giants accelerating in such fashion by choice. Hayes has the hardest task – to hold the tempo and he does.
Hubbard’s Blues For Duane, a simple enough 12-bar, is played muted by the leader who is rather reminiscent of Howard McGhee on this occasion. Hanna’s accompaniment could hardly be sparser while Hayes chooses to employ brushes. However when Daniels comes on the number gathers momentum and Hayes quickly opts for sticks as Davis increases volume. Hanna and Davis solo effectively.
Finally a long and sensitive version of The Things We Did Last Summer, an exquisite melody which Hubbard treats with the respect and tenderness it deserves. Recommended with no reservations.
Discography
Without A Song; Just One Of Those Things (20 min) – Blues For Duane; The Things We Did Last Summer (19¾ min)
Freddie Hubbard (tpt): Eddie Daniels (ten): Roland Hanna (pno): Richard Davis (bs): Louis Hayes (dm). Villingen, West Germany. 9/12/69.
(MPS BAP 5036 £2.15)