One of the greatest jazz trumpeters of all time passed away two days ago at the age of 70:
Over a career that began in the late 1950s, Mr. Hubbard earned both critical praise and commercial success -- although rarely for the same projects.He attracted attention in the 1960s for his bravura work as a member of the Jazz Messengers, the valuable training ground for young musicians led by the veteran drummer Art Blakey, and on albums by Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter and many others. He also recorded several well-regarded albums as a leader. And although he was not an avant-gardist by temperament, he participated in three of the seminal recordings of the 1960s jazz avant-garde: Ornette Coleman's "Free Jazz" (1960), Eric Dolphy's "Out to Lunch" (1964) and John Coltrane's "Ascension" (1965).
He blew out his chops, though, in 1992 and his playing never regained its former glory:
By Mr. Hubbard's own account, he seriously injured his upper lip that year by playing too hard, without warming up, once too often. The lip became infected, and for the rest of his life it was a struggle for him to play with his trademark strength and fire. As Howard Mandel explained in a 2008 Down Beat article, "His ability to project and hold a clear tone was damaged, so his fast finger flurries often result in blurts and blurs rather than explosive phrases."
He stuck it out 'till the end, playing as many gigs as his lips could handle. And although his sound was messed up, you could still hear his amazing phrasing and presence that was just singular Freddie Hubbard.
It's a very sad day, indeed...
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Tags: Freddie Hubbard, John Coltrane, Ornette Coleman
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