Freddie Hubbard 1938 - 2008

December 29, 2008 10:20 AM

Freddie Hubbard passed away today.

Freddie died at Sherman Oaks Hospital early this morning at 5:00am, we're still gathering the details, but he was in our studios most recently and to say this is upsetting in the community is an understatement. Freddie did in fact have a heart attack last month and we mourn his passing and remember one damn brilliant musician and simply wonderful fella. The link to his website may be down at this writing, but here's a link to his bio at All About Jazz for now.

posted by bluedaniel (42 comments total)

Evidently, so did his web page...
posted by HuronBob at 10:25 AM on December 29, 2008

oops, sorry, missed the note on your "more inside"
posted by HuronBob at 10:26 AM on December 29, 2008

He wasn't always a responsible steward of his enormous gifts. But he was one of the titans. Owners of Billy Joel's 52nd Street album can enjoy some of his tasty playing on "Zanzibar".

.
posted by Joe Beese at 10:49 AM on December 29, 2008

His Allmusic bio is a good career summary, noting his presence as sideman on some of the greatest jazz ever recorded - Dolphy's Out To Lunch, Oliver Nelson's Blues and the Abstract Truth, Coleman's Free Jazz, Blakey's early 60s Jazz Messengers, Hancock's Maiden Voyage, etc. Aside from those, here are some great Hubbard albums for folks who don't know him. His early 60s Blue Note stuff, especially Hub-Tones, is some of my favorite jazz.

.
posted by mediareport at 10:53 AM on December 29, 2008 [1 favorite]

I honestly don't know if that link is going to refire. I'm surprised it's not back online yet. It's hosted by jazzcorner.com, and I'm sure Lois (jc owner is on it now).

Perhaps mods may want to relink to another source. What that might be I can't suggest yet. Obviously I can't suggest our studios, plus we've not yet updated, but will do by end of today. Right now we're assembling air material for a special b'cast on NPR.
posted by bluedaniel at 10:53 AM on December 29, 2008

.
posted by box at 10:58 AM on December 29, 2008

.
posted by fingers_of_fire at 11:03 AM on December 29, 2008

Here's Freedie playing "Moanin'" with Art Blakey. Man, that's some good jazz.
posted by Astro Zombie at 11:06 AM on December 29, 2008 [1 favorite]

.
posted by fcummins at 11:07 AM on December 29, 2008

I honestly don't know if that link is going to refire.

Honestly, what was the rush? I really wish folks would take time to craft obit posts worthy of the subject they say they want to honor.
posted by mediareport at 11:09 AM on December 29, 2008

One of the major trumpet contrubutors after Miles and Brownie is gone. Back in the seventies, just at the time when jazz-rock was the status quo in jazz, Freddie put out some wonderful jazz albums like "Red Clay" and "Straight Life" that still incorporated the "new" electric sounds and some RnB rhythms, but never compromised on the playing or the swing. He had guys with him on those records like Herbie Hancock, George Benson, Lenny White, Joe Henderson, Ron Carter et al, and the music today still sounds good and even gets good airplay on "mainstream"jazz stations like NYC-area's WBGO-FM.
posted by Seekerofsplendor at 11:15 AM on December 29, 2008

.
posted by gcbv at 11:21 AM on December 29, 2008

Well ok, I'll go home.

You jive white motherfuckers!

.
posted by First Post at 11:26 AM on December 29, 2008

red clay is my JAM.

.
posted by MNDZ at 11:30 AM on December 29, 2008

♪
posted by Smart Dalek at 11:31 AM on December 29, 2008

Here's Freedie playing "Moanin'" with Art Blakey. Man, that's some good jazz. - Thanks for sharing, Astro Zombie.

Freddie Hubbard was one of my first introductions to small combo jazz. I remember being frustrated to no end trying to play the head to "Red Clay", let alone improv over the changes :) I still throw that disc in several times a year. He will be missed, but his contributions will not be forgotten.

.
posted by bwilms at 11:33 AM on December 29, 2008

"Honestly, what was the rush? I really wish folks would take time to craft obit posts worthy of the subject they say they want to honor."

There was no rush, and I'm not in the business of crafting professional obituaries. I'm at work, we got the news, I was on MeFi, I know how many jazz fans there are here and shared what I knew and could confirm.

There's the (sad) news, the link to his website, and the tribute and honor to Freddie will reveal itself as each comment emerges.
posted by bluedaniel at 11:36 AM on December 29, 2008

I first ran across Mr. Hubbard on the V.S.O.P.: The Quintet album, then separately heard some of his great tunes covered, e.g., Rare Silk on "Red Clay."

Ave atque vale, sir.

.
posted by the sobsister at 12:02 PM on December 29, 2008

.

I never got to see him play live, which I'm just now regretting terribly.
posted by GamblingBlues at 12:05 PM on December 29, 2008

.
posted by mike3k at 12:47 PM on December 29, 2008

Damn, I'm sorry to hear that. He was one of the great ones. Thanks for the post, bluedaniel.
posted by languagehat at 1:15 PM on December 29, 2008

wow. I really loved this man. I remember seeing him play with Hancock on PBS when I was really little and thinking some of my first big thoughts about music and expression. A wonderful man.
posted by n9 at 1:19 PM on December 29, 2008

.
posted by Mental Wimp at 1:24 PM on December 29, 2008

.
posted by doctor_negative at 1:27 PM on December 29, 2008

.
posted by Guy_Inamonkeysuit at 1:41 PM on December 29, 2008

I cannot recommend highly enough the incredible album he made with Ilhan Mimaroglu in 1971, "Sing Me A Song of Songmy".

Incredible mix of Hubbard's quintet with experimental eletronic tape manipulation that is many, many years ahead of its time. Sprinkled with poetry, including some harrowing Vietnamese war poems, and veering from avant-garde to swinging groove at the drop of a hat (needle?). If you're lucky enough to score the LP with a gatefold sleeve that's a fantastic anti-war (anti-U.S., really) montage, you'll have not only one of my favorite albums but one of my favorite artifacts from that era.
posted by the bricabrac man at 2:28 PM on December 29, 2008 [1 favorite]

.
posted by NordyneDefenceDynamics at 2:31 PM on December 29, 2008

Eds: APNewsNow. Will be led. Moving on general news and entertainment services.

By JOHN ROGERS

Associated Press Writer

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Grammy-winning jazz musician Freddie Hubbard, whose style influenced a generation of trumpet players, has died at age 70.

Hubbard's manager, David Weiss, says the musician died Monday at Sherman Oaks Hospital in Los Angeles. He had been hospitalized since suffering a heart attack last month.

Although he had been in declining health in recent years, Hubbard continued to perform until just a few months ago. Known for both the intensity of his playing, as well as his melodic style, Hubbard's last concert was in June in New York at a party celebrating the release of his final album.

He won a Grammy in 1972 for best jazz performance by a group for the album "First Light."
posted by bluedaniel at 2:33 PM on December 29, 2008

He did some really outstanding work with Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers, especially his pairing with Wayne Shorter. Sweet stuff. I will miss the dude immensely.
posted by Mental Wimp at 3:21 PM on December 29, 2008

Wow, bummer. I heard this on NPR today. He was one of the first jazz heroes of mine that was actually still alive when I was a kid, and was floored when I actually got to see him play live. To my mind back then if you were on a record, that automatically meant you were dead. John Coltrane, Eric Dolphy, Charlie Parker... Funny thing is the musicians I like in different genres played together eventually. Hubbard and Dolphy, Hubbard and Wayne Shorter, Hubbard and Rollins...

RIP Freddie.

.
posted by Eekacat at 3:52 PM on December 29, 2008

Damn, reading this a smooth trumpet lick that I always liked came back. I was thrilled to see him once in a small venue in Boston, very intense. Leaving he had a blond on each arm, he had a good life.
posted by sammyo at 3:56 PM on December 29, 2008

.
posted by Wolof at 4:18 PM on December 29, 2008

Wow, just realized Hubbard is on two more of my favorite albums: Bobby Hutcherson's 1965 Blue Note classics Components and Dialogue. At that point Hubbard was among the best of the folks straddling the hard bop/avante garde line, and those albums are both incredibly rich and interesting.
posted by mediareport at 4:19 PM on December 29, 2008

The site's now back online and updated.
posted by bluedaniel at 5:11 PM on December 29, 2008

I first heard of Freddie Hubbard when I was a teenager exploring Miles Davis and I noticed that Freddie always played trumpet on albums for any of Miles' band-mates. If Miles wasn't there, then it had to be Freddie.

Anything from the VSOP era always impressed me, as did his work on Milt Jackson's Sunflower which of course was named after one of Freddie's signature songs.
posted by furtive at 6:30 PM on December 29, 2008

.
posted by rdone at 6:54 PM on December 29, 2008

Our station post.

Our NPR post.
posted by bluedaniel at 7:09 PM on December 29, 2008

Man, I heard rumors of this early this morning, and hoped it was just misinformation - even set up a Google news alert. So sad to see this evening a full inbox of news articles and a post on the blue.

Hubbard was one of my top five musicians - jazz or otherwise. I had always hoped to get somewhere to play in a jazz fest with him as a guest, or even just to see him live. I can honestly say I've convinced at least two strangers to buy his album "Hub-Tones" while sharing flights with them. Did a poor attempt at a web-site on his life and influence for a final project a few years ago too.

A great musician.

.
posted by Kimothy at 10:35 PM on December 29, 2008

Out to Lunch is one of my all time favorites. Also love Red Clay and Jazz Messengers. He will be missed.

.
posted by crawfishpopsicle at 9:19 AM on December 30, 2008

.
posted by theefixedstars at 9:28 AM on December 30, 2008

.
posted by .kobayashi. at 12:17 PM on December 30, 2008

Funeral Services for Freddie will be on Tuesday January 6, 2009 at -

Faithful Central Bible Church
The Tabernacle
321 N. Eucalyptus Avenue
Inglewood, CA 90301
(310) 330- 8000
www.faithfulcentral.com
Viewing 11 am- 1 pm
Service 1 pm
posted by bluedaniel at 7:49 PM on January 2