Blue Spirits | |
Type: | Album |
Artist: | Freddie Hubbard |
Cover: | Blue Spirits.jpg |
Released: | Mid February 1967[1] |
Recorded: | February 19 & 26, 1965 March 5, 1966 |
Studio: | Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ |
Genre: | Jazz |
Length: | 44:35 original LP 62:04CD reissue |
Label: | Blue Note BST 84196 |
Producer: | Alfred Lion |
Prev Title: | Breaking Point |
Prev Year: | 1964 |
Next Title: | The Night of the Cookers |
Next Year: | 1965 |
Blue Spirits is an album by trumpeter Freddie Hubbard released on the Blue Note label. It would be his last studio album for Blue Note, recorded in the 1960s. It features performances by Hubbard, James Spaulding, Joe Henderson, Harold Mabern, Jr., Larry Ridley, Clifford Jarvis, Big Black, Kiane Zawadi, Hank Mobley, McCoy Tyner, Bob Cranshaw, Pete LaRoca. The CD release added tracks from a 1966 session featuring Hosea Taylor, Herbie Hancock, Reggie Workman, and Elvin Jones.
Allmusic reviewer Scott Yanow stated: "The set is seven diverse Hubbard originals and, even though none of the songs caught on to become standards, the music is quite challenging and fairly memorable." As stated in the liner notes, "The use of a fourth horn for this album, coupled with an exclusive focus on Hubbard's compositions, really threw light on the trumpeter's command of harmony, which is such a critical part of both his improvising and writing personality".[2] Hubbard's playing here is among his best, and this album "is arguably the best recorded example of the Hubbard/James Spaulding partnership"[3] which had been ongoing for the previous two years.
All compositions by Freddie Hubbard
Recorded on February 19, 1965 (#1, 4), February 26, 1965 (#2, 3, 5) and March 5, 1966 (#6-7).
Tracks 1, 4
Tracks 2, 3, 5
Tracks 6-7
On the CD reissue of Blue Spirits, track 7 is listed as Hancock performing on the celeste, although it sounds like a harpsichord.