Freddie Hubbard (Frederick Dewayne Hubbard, Indianapolis, Indiana, April 7,… Read Full Bio ↴Freddie Hubbard (Frederick Dewayne Hubbard, Indianapolis, Indiana, April 7, 1938 - Sherman Oaks, California, December 29, 2008) was an American jazz trumpeter.
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.
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.
LITTLE SUNFLOWER
Freddie Hubbard Lyrics
We have lyrics for these tracks by Freddie Hubbard:
All or Nothing At All All or nothing at all Half a love, never appealed to…
Autumn Leaves The falling leaves drift by the window The autumn leaves of…
Bob's Place Rúguǒ yǒu yītiān wǒ huì zǒu yuǎn Don′t you worry don't…
But Beautiful Love is funny or it's sad, Or it's quiet or…
Caravan Night and stars above that shine so bright The myst'ry…
Cold Turkey Temperature's rising Fever is high Can't see no future Ca…
Golden Earrings There's a story the gypsies know is true That when your…
Hang 'Em Up Once I was a sentimental thing Throw my heart away each…
Here Maybe I should have saved those left over dreams Funny, but…
I Wished I Knew I wish I knew someone like you could love me I…
If I Were a Bell Ask me how do I feel, Now that we're cosy and…
Love Is a Many Splendored Thing Love is a many splendored thing It's the April rose that…
Love Me or Leave Me Love me or leave me and let me be lonely You…
Misty Look at me I'm as helpless as a kitten up a…
Moment to Moment From moment to moment, every moment that I live I live…
On Green Dolphin Street It seems like a dream, yet I know it happened A…
Red Clay If you told me that you loved me I would…
Skylark Skylark Have you anything to say to me? Won't you tell me…
Star Eyes Star eyes, That to me is what your eyes are, Soft as…
The Intrepid Fox Ooo ooo, natural beauty, she is No I never met someone…
The Nearness of You Its not the pale moon that excites me That thrills and…
Up jumped spring Once I was a sentimental thing Throw my heart away each…
Weaver Of Dreams You're a weaver of dreams You and your strange fascination …
Wichita Lineman I am a lineman for the county And I drive…
Without A Song Without a song the day would never end Without a song…
The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
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Melodius Thud
I once had the privilege of playing with Freddie in a concert. I had heard a lot of horror stories about how he was to work with, and then, as it turned out, he was very nice to me (whew!). He was always one of my idols because he was such an individual -- as a player, and in other ways. It was a high point in my career, and one of my greatest memories.
Andreas Hoppe
Wow damn, lucky you. I bet, he chose you to play with him for a reason, because you must be very very good on your instrument. I want to get better on my instrument but I am stuck and can't seem to make progress :/ but at least I know how to arrange music :D.
Mai Nem
You must be an awesome player for him to be nice to you! :)
I'm not sure who "influences" me as a trumpet player - and I'm often asked the question ... and a say "Freddie Hubbard" as a default.
His melodic style is very similar to my own ... and yet the only album of his I ever heard was "Super Blue". It had a massive impact on me. ["Take it to the Ozone" remains one of my favourite ever pieces of jazz]
Paula Jordan
Andreas Hoppe so honest, i know that feeling X
Julius Mullen
@Andreas Hoppe Honestly as someone who has been playing piano for ten plus years, it's all about repetition and practice. Just daily work :)
mackeeytjk
@Julius Mullen thanks Julius.
toservemind
This music is like a time machine. I should know since I'm a living, breathing time capsule. I drove my red convertible up to Hollywood one summer night in 1970 to Shelly's Manne Hole on Cahuenga. 50 years ago and it feels like last week. And there was Freddie, so mellow, so out there with a grin that told you he was right where he wanted to be. There was no crowd that evening. I was a tall 17 year old skinny guy wearing a tie and jacket looking older than I was sipping my Coke and doing my best not to bring any attention to myself, and relishing every minute of that magical moment at a candle-lit table on North Cahuenga.
edo edo
Yea. I drove from Orange on the Santa Ana freeway weekly to LA for the incredible Little Theatre and Jazz in the late 70s. I also got dressed up. Had a red '65 Mustang, always breaking down. Met Abby Lincoln outside a club, we talked. Met Al Lewis at KPFK. Usually ate at Siete Mares. LA was a mecca of the arts in the 70s. I treasure those memories.
edo edo
@David Pinto ok!
toby puente
i remember that place...what a great guy he was, too. i interviewed him for the Cal State Long Beach paper, entertainment section...super drummer, too!