Biography
One of the great jazz trumpeters of all time, Freddie Hubbard was born and raised in Indianapolis. He moved to New York in 1958, roomed with Eric Dolphy (with whom he recorded in 1960), and was in the groups of Philly Joe Jones (1958-1959), Sonny Rollins, Slide Hampton, and J.J. Johnson, before touring Europe with Quincy Jones (1960-1961). He recorded with John Coltrane, participated in Ornette Coleman’s Free Jazz (1960), was on Oliver Nelson’s classic Blues and the Abstract Truth album (highlighted by “Stolen Moments”), and started recording as a leader for Blue Note that same year with his debut album as a leader Open Sesame. Hubbard gained fame playing with Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers (1961-1964) next to Wayne Shorter and Curtis Fuller. He recorded Ascension with Coltrane (1965), Out to Lunch (1964) with Eric Dolphy, and Maiden Voyage with Herbie Hancock, and, after a period with Max Roach (1965-1966), he led his own quintet, which at the time usually featured altoist James Spaulding. A blazing trumpeter with a beautiful tone on flugelhorn, Hubbard fared well in freer settings but was always essentially a hard bop stylist.
In 1970, Freddie Hubbard recorded two of his finest albums (Red Clay and Straight Life) for CTI. In 1977, he toured with Herbie Hancock’s acoustic V.S.O.P. Quintet and, in the 1980s, on recordings for Pablo, Blue Note, and Atlantic, he showed that he could reach his former heights. In late 2008, Hubbard suffered a heart attack that left him hospitalized until his death at age 70 on December 29 of that year.
Releases
Times Are Changing - Freddie Hubbard
Eternal Triangle - Freddie Hubbard - Woody Shaw
Life Flight - Freddie Hubbard
Double Take - Freddie Hubbard - Woody Shaw
One Night With Blue Note Preserved, Vol. 1 - Herbie Hancock - Joe Henderson - Bobby Hutcherson - James Newton - Ron Carter - Tony Williams - Freddie Hubbard
One Night With Blue Note Preserved, Vol. 3 - Art Blakey - Stanley Turrentine - Jimmy Smith - Kenny Burrell - Lou Donaldson - Freddie Hubbard - Johnny Griffin - Curtis Fuller - Walter Davis Jr.
Without A Song – Live in Europe 1969 - Freddie Hubbard
The Night Of The Cookers, Vol. 2 - Freddie Hubbard
The Night Of The Cookers, Vol. 1 - Freddie Hubbard
Blue Spirits - Freddie Hubbard
Breaking Point - Freddie Hubbard
Here to Stay - Freddie Hubbard
Hub-Tones - Freddie Hubbard
Ready For Freddie - Freddie Hubbard
Hub Cap - Freddie Hubbard
Goin’ Up - Freddie Hubbard
Open Sesame - Freddie Hubbard
SPOTLIGHT
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ARE YOU READY FOR FREDDIE?
One of the greatest trumpeters to ever play jazz, Freddie Hubbard was a dynamo, teeming with passion and imagination. His fervid hard bop playing matured into an original voice after he grew out of his Clifford Brown infatuation and emulation, garnering him the DownBeat New Star award in the magazine’s 1961 Critics Poll. Once he moved from his hometown of Indianapolis to New York in 1958 at... read more
News
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CLASSIC VINYL REISSUE SERIES 2025 TITLES ANNOUNCED
Blue Note Records has announced the next run of titles in the Classic Vinyl Reissue Series, which presents all-analog 180g vinyl reissues that are mastered by Kevin Gray from the original master tapes and manufactured at Optimal. Curated by Don Was and Cem Kurosman, the series continues its exploration of the... read more
TONE POET AUDIOPHILE VINYL REISSUE SERIES 2023 LINE-UP
Blue Note Records has announced the upcoming 2023 line-up for the Tone Poet Audiophile Vinyl Reissue Series. The acclaimed series is produced by the “Tone Poet” Joe Harley and features all-analog, 180g audiophile vinyl reissues that are mastered from the original master tapes by Kevin Gray of Cohearent Audio. Tone... read more
BLUE NOTE & UNIQLO COLLABORATE ON NEW UT T-SHIRT COLLECTION ON SALE NOW
Blue Note Records and UNIQLO have teamed up once again for a new UT t-shirt collection featuring five new designs based on iconic Blue Note album covers that were selected by Blue Note President and GRAMMY-winning producer Don Was. The new UT collection is on sale today in UNIQLO stores worldwide and online at... read more
TONE POET AUDIOPHILE VINYL REISSUE SERIES 2021-2022 LINE-UP
Blue Note Records has announced the upcoming 2021-2022 line-up for the acclaimed Tone Poet Audiophile Vinyl Reissue Series, which will kick off March 12 with Charles Lloyd & The Marvels’ new album Tone Poem, the first-ever new release to be included in the series. Fittingly, it was Lloyd who first dubbed Harley... read more
PRESENTING THE BLUE NOTE CLASSIC VINYL REISSUE SERIES
We're proud to present the Blue Note Classic Vinyl Reissue Series, a continuation of our acclaimed Blue Note 80 Vinyl Reissue Series which was launched in celebration of our 80th anniversary in 2019. The Classic Series will once again feature all-analog 180g vinyl pressings in standard packaging that are mastered by... read more
PRESENTING THE BLUE NOTE 80 VINYL REISSUE SERIES
In honor of Blue Note Records’ 80th Anniversary, the legendary Jazz label is launching the Blue Note 80 Vinyl Reissue Series. Distinct from the Tone Poet Audiophile Vinyl Reissue Series, this 2nd series curated by Don Was and Cem Kurosman features mid-priced 180g vinyl releases in standard packaging with albums... read more
BLUE NOTE LAUNCHES NEW SERIES OF FRAMED WALL ART FEATURING THE LABEL’S CLASSIC IMAGERY
In honor of Blue Note Records’ 80th Anniversary in 2019, the legendary Jazz label has launched a new series of limited-edition wall art that celebrates the iconic imagery of Blue Note’s classic era. For the first time ever, Blue Note is offering archival-quality, framed canvas prints in dynamic scale... read more
