Hubbard was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, and associated in his youth with various musicians in Indianapolis, including Wes Montgomery and Montgomery's brothers. Chet Baker was an early influence, although Hubbard soon aligned himself with the approach of Clifford Brown (and his forebears: Fats Navarro and Dizzy Gillespie).
Hubbard's jazz career began in earnest after moving to New York City in 1958. While there, he worked with Sonny Rollins, Slide Hampton, J. J. Johnson, Philly Joe Jones, Oliver Nelson, and Quincy Jones, among others. He gained attention while playing with the seminal hard bop ensemble Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers, appearing on such albums as Mosaic, Buhaina's Delight, and Free For All. He left the Messengers in 1964 to lead his own groups and from that time maintained a high profile as a bandleader or featured as a special guest, but never merely a sideman.
Along with two other trumpeters also born in 1938, Lee Morgan (d. 1971) and Booker Little (d. 1961), Hubbard exerted a strong force on the direction of 1960s jazz. He recorded extensively for Blue Note Records: eight albums as a bandleader, and twenty-eight as a sideman. Most of these recordings are regarded as classics. Hubbard appeared on a few early avant-garde landmarks (Ornette Coleman's Free Jazz, Eric Dolphy's Out to Lunch and John Coltrane's Ascension), but Hubbard never fully embraced free jazz, though it did influence his playing.
After leaving Blue Note, Hubbard recorded for the Atlantic label and moved toward a more commercial style. His next label was CTI Records where he recorded his best-known works, Red Clay, First Light, and Sky Dive. By 1970, his fiery, melodic improvisation and phenomenal technique established him as perhaps the leading trumpeter of his day, but a series of commercially oriented smooth jazz albums spawned some negative criticism. After signing with Columbia Records, Hubbard's albums were almost exclusively in a commercial vein. However, in 1976, Hubbard toured and recorded with V.S.O.P., led by Herbie Hancock which presented unadulterated jazz in the style of the 1960s Miles Davis Quintet (with Hubbard taking the place of Davis).
1980s projects moved between straight-ahead and commercial styles, and Hubbard recorded for several different labels including Atlantic, Pablo, Fantasy, Elektra/Musician, and the revived Blue Note label. The slightly younger Woody Shaw was Hubbard's main jazz competitor during the 1970s and 1980s, and the two eventually recorded together on three occasions. Hubbard participated in the short-lived Griffith Park Collective, which also included Joe Henderson, Chick Corea, Stanley Clarke, and Lenny White.
Following a long setback of health problems and a serious lip injury in 1992, Hubbard played and recorded occasionally, but not at the high level that he set for himself during his earlier career.
On December 29, 2008, Hubbard's hometown newspaper, Hubbard died from complications from a heart attack suffered on November 26 of the same year.
All or Nothing At All
Freddie Hubbard Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Half a love, never appealed to me
If your heart, never could yield to me
Then I'd rather (rather) have nothing at all
All or nothing at all
If it's love, there is no in between
Why begin then cry, for something that might have been
But please don't bring your lips so close to my cheek
Don't smile or I'll be lost beyond recall
The kiss in your eyes, the touch of your hand makes me weak
And my heart may go dizzy and fall
And if I fell (I fell) under the spell of your call
I would be, caught in the undertow
So you see, I've got to say no, no
All or nothing at all
The song All or Nothing At All by Freddie Hubbard is a classic jazz standard that speaks to the intensity and purity of love. The lyrics are straightforward and straightforwardly state that the singer desires all or nothing in love. They reject half-hearted love and advocate for the ultimate commitment or nothing at all.
The lyrics encourage listeners to be honest with themselves and their partners when it comes to love. The notion is that if both parties do not feel the same intensity and passion for one another, then it is best to let go and move on. The song's chorus repeats this idea, driving home the message that love is not something to be taken lightly and should only be pursued to the fullest.
Furthermore, the lyrics also highlight the vulnerability that often comes with being in love - the fear of getting hurt, of falling under someone's spell, and the possibility of heartbreak. The singer expressively shares their trepidations that if they allow themselves to fall for someone, they may be swept away in the undertow, lost beyond recall.
Overall, All or Nothing At All is a timeless jazz standard that speaks to the bittersweet nature of love. It encourages listeners to embrace love fully while also recognizing the risks that come with giving oneself over to it.
Line by Line Meaning
All or nothing at all
I demand full commitment or nothing from you in this relationship.
Half a love, never appealed to me
I don't want to be involved in an incomplete love affair.
If your heart, never could yield to me
I need your heart to be fully committed to me in order for us to work.
Then I'd rather (rather) have nothing at all
If you can't give me all of your love, I'd prefer to not have any of it.
If it's love, there is no in between
Love is not something that can be half-hearted or shared half-way. It's all or nothing.
Why begin then cry, for something that might have been
It's better to not start something if it's not going to work out in the long run, otherwise, it will only cause heartache and disappointment.
No I'd rather (rather) have nothing at all
I'd rather not get involved at all if the love isn't going to be full and genuine.
But please don't bring your lips so close to my cheek
Although I am tempted by your affection, I know that it will only lead to heartache and confusion.
Don't smile or I'll be lost beyond recall
I must keep my distance and avoid any temptation because I know I won't be able to control my feelings if you continue to show affection.
The kiss in your eyes, the touch of your hand makes me weak
Your actions towards me are powerful and have an effect on me, even though I know I can't continue.
And my heart may go dizzy and fall
Your affection is strong enough to make me lose my senses and fall in love with you despite the risks.
And if I fell (I fell) under the spell of your call
If I were to give in to your temptations, I would be entranced by your love and unable to resist it.
I would be, caught in the undertow
If I gave in to my feelings, I would be lost in the intensity of our love and unable to stop it.
So you see, I've got to say no, no
I must resist and say no to your advances because I know it would only lead to heartbreak and disappointment.
All or nothing at all
As I've said before, I demand full commitment or nothing at all from you in this relationship.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Royalty Network
Written by: Arthur Altman, Jack Lawrence
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@makimakipapura7543
Freddie Hubbard is the only hard-bop artist I like listening to of his time (1956-early1960s)
(With the exception of Bill Evans)
@feinblaeser
Cliff Jarvis swings his behind off! Tina Brooks sounds beautiful!
@joshmartimez2235
I just ordered the XRCD version of this album and after previewing it here i now know I'll enjoy it and enjoy it with a quality cigarette and glass of Jack Daniels or beer. Thank you for sharing this great music.
@amitavsanyal6762
Madness!
@jiyujizai
💚🌱💮🙄
@jiyujizai
💙🌼🌱😃
@AlonsoUnoPuntoCinco
Bueno
@damjanmedojevic3275
I would greet back Jesse Owens
@porterhall27
what?
@OrcaTrumpet
@@porterhall27he said what he said and I
Agree with him 🐬