Freddie Hubbard Archives - JAZZ IMPRESSIONS

Routes: A Jazz Impressions Podcast – Episode 2

Welcome back to Routes: A Jazz Impressions Podcast! In this Blue Note heavy episode, we discuss an underappreciated gem from master vibesman Bobby Hutcherson, the compositional talents of Joe Chambers, the lyrical side of Freddie Hubbard and the legacy of Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers. Also, there’s a special guest appearance from a squeaky garage door trying to imitate Wayne Shorter.

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Tracklists below (SPOILERS!)

Pete La Roca – Lazy Afternoon

One of the many attractive qualities of jazz, more than any other musical genre, is how the same song can be interpreted in many different ways. Whether this is Bill Evans and Yusef Lateef offering their personal takes on a classic soundtrack, or Ahmad Jamal and Bobby Hutcherson reworking a Herbie Hancock original, the musical freedom that underpins jazz allows its musicians to constantly reinvent and offer fresh perspectives on popular classics. In his last post, Dan wrote on guitarist Grant Green’s version of the ballad ‘Lazy Afternoon’. Whilst Green’s version is excellent, the definitive version in my opinion of this well known standard is found on drummer Pete La Roca’s album Basra, released in 1965 on Blue Note.

Freddie Hubbard – Red Clay

Holding the world record for the most recording sessions of any jazz bassist in history (2,221 as of 2015), Ron Carter has provided some of the world’s greatest bass lines: Joe Henderson’s ‘Power to the People’ (1969), Alice Coltrane’s ‘Blue Nile’ (1970) and Freddie Hubbard’s ‘Red Clay’ (1970).

Herbie Hancock – Maiden Voyage

Bobby Hutcherson’s version of the oceanic classic ‘Maiden Voyage’ shore is beautiful, but for me the original is unassailable. Concept albums are generally associated with rock music, but Herbie Hancock was one step ahead of The Beatles. Empyrean Isles (1964) is loosely based around Ancient Greek mythology, and Maiden Voyage (1965) is an album about the sea. Bookended by pieces that would become standards, ‘Maiden Voyage’ and ‘Dolphin Dance’, the record even features sea-based poetry as its sleeve notes. You might call them liner notes.

Bobby Hutcherson – Ghetto Lights

You just heard Roy Ayers filtered through the psychedelic prism of Madlib, which brings us to the warm and wonderful world of the vibraphone. One of the great masters of the mallets was Bobby Hutcherson, whose sonic and rhythmic sensibilities helped usher in a new era for legendary jazz label Blue Note.