- Without a Song [11:05]
- The Things We Did Last Summer [11:23]
- A Night in Tunisia [10:36]
- Blues by Five [9:47]
- Body and Soul [10:08]
- Space Track [12:07]
- Hub-Tones [4:38]
Freddie Hubbard, Trumpet
Roland Hanna, Piano
Ron Carter, Bass
Louis Hayes, Drums
Tracks 1&7 recorded on December 13, 1969 at Royal festival Hall,
London, England. Tracks 2-4 recorded on December 14, 1969 at Colston
hall, Bristol, England. Tracks 5&6 recorded in early December
1969 in Germany and remixed in 1970 at A&R Studios, New York City,
New York, USA.
This a must have disc for all jazz fans, trumpet lovers and, above
all, admirers of the legendary Freddie Hubbard. It's often said that
the best jazz is never recorded and how true that is in so many cases.
However, it is exceptions that prove the rules and this is one of
those! The saying comes from the fact that invariably it is live jazz,
with the reactions from the audience sparking the musicians on to
even greater feats, which is rarely recorded, by comparison with the
often rather sterile atmosphere of the recording studio. This record
has that feeling of intimacy between performer and audience, despite
the enormous size of the venues by comparison with the special nature
of small clubs where ceilings are lower and musicians and audience
members are often very close to each other and where, sometimes, even
greater examples of musical alchemy are conjured up.
Freddie is playing on this disc arguably as part of the greatest
quartet he ever put together, each band member a truly gifted craftsman
in his field. That the music sounds as fresh as it does after 40 years
is testament to their art. Every tune is a wonderful jazz great but
A Night in Tunisia is made extra special by a superbly blistering
drum solo from Louis Hayes. Freddie takes the tune Blues by Five
by the scruff of the neck and produces some exceptional improvisatory
flights of musical fancy, even for him, which are then tempered by
a cool Roland Hanna and some beautiful bass from Ron Carter.
The first two tracks are fine examples of ballads and receive beautiful
treatment at the hands of these masters, as does Body and Soul.
The last two tracks show Freddie as composer as well as soloist confirming
that there's nothing he can't do in musical terms. All in all a disc
to enjoyed and cherished over and over and over again.
Steve Arloff
CD Reviews
Blue Note 50999 6 97093 2 6
