Freddie Hubbard

•TONE POET SERIES

•180gram vinyl LP pressing in gatefold jackeT

•MASTERED FROM THE ORIGINAL ANALOG TAPES

•4 stars all music guide

The prodigious trumpeter Freddie Hubbard debuted on Blue Note in 1960 and produced an astounding run of recordings over the first half of the decade that culminated with Blue Spirits, which was the last of his 1960s studio albums for the label.

This bluesy and spirited album presented five evocative Hubbard originals, each of which was given a richly textured arrangement for an ensemble that included a dynamic four-horn line-up. Drawn from two different sessions, the first date produced the gratifying opening track “Soul Surge” and the percolating “Cunga Black” with Hubbard joined by James Spaulding, Joe Henderson, Harold Mabern, Larry Ridley, Clifford Jarvis, and Big Black on congas.

A week later Hubbard returned to Van Gelder Studio with Spaulding, Zawadi, and a slightly different line-up including Hank Mobley on tenor saxophone, McCoy Tyner on piano, Bob Cranshaw on bass, and Pete LaRoca on drums. This 2nd session rounded out the album with hard-charging performances of “Outer Forces” and “Jodo,” as well as the mesmerizing title track.

New Jersey, February 19 & 26, 1965

TRACKS & PERSONNEL ON SIDE A

• A1. SOUL SURGE
• A2. BLUE SPIRITS

• Freddie Hubbard - (trumpet)
• James Spaulding - (alto sax, flute)
• Joe Henderson - (tenor sax)
• Kiane Zawadi - (euphonium)
• Harold Mabern Jr - (piano)
• Larry Ridley - (bass)
• Clifford Jarvis - (drums)
• Big Black - (congas)
• ______________________________

TRACKS & PERSONNEL ON SIDE B

• B1. OUTER FORCES
• B2. CUNGA BLACK
• B3. JODO

• Freddie Hubbard - (trumpet)
• James Spaulding - (alto sax, flute)
• Hank Mobley - (tenor sax)
• Kiane Zawadi - (euphonium)
• McCoy Tyner - (piano)
• Bob Cranshaw - (bass)
• Pete La Roca - (drums)