First Light

Name: Red Clay/Straight Life/First Light
SKU: 100742
Price: 13.99 GBP
Availability: BackOrder

£13.99

Format: CD

Notes: (2Cd)

Release date: 6 Jul 2018

Artist: Freddie Hubbard

Label: Bgo

Genre: Jazz

Format: CD

Grade: New / null (About gradings)

Number of discs: 2

SKU: 100742

‘Red Clay’ was Freddie Hubbard’s first recording for CTI and an absolute gem it is too. The much sampled and covered ‘Red Clay’ became his signature tune and for the label too. The band – Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, Lenny White plus Joe Henderson – swing on the jazzy ‘Suite Sioux’. They repeat the performance on ‘The Intrepid Fox’ on which Carter’s deep running bass is an outstanding feature. ‘Straight Life’ is often overlooked partly due to the brilliance of the preceding and following albums. The title cut continues the intensity of much of ‘Red Clay’. The addition of George Benson to the frontline of Hubbard, Henderson and Hancock adds another dimension. Weldon Irvine’s ‘Mr Clean’ extends the vibe albeit in marginally slower time. The Burke/ Van Heusen ballad ‘Here’s That Rainy Day’ provides a respite with Hubbard’s magical flugelhorn capturing its delicacy to perfection. Freddie Hubbard’s ‘First Light’ is one of his finest records. The title song is a Hubbard classic and he delivers one of his greatest solos accompanied by lovely contributions from Hubert Laws and George Benson. The remainder of the album finds Freddie in restrained mood. But his rich flugelhorn suits the delicacy of pieces such as ‘Lonely Town’, ‘Yesterday’s Dream’ and his interpretation of Paul and Linda McCartney’s ‘Uncle Albert/ Admiral Halsey’.