Freddie Hubbard: A brief biography of the brass master
He was one of the best trumpeters and flugelhorn players of all time
Last updated 29th Jun 2020
Simply put - Freddie Hubbard was one of the best trumpeters and flugelhorn players of all time. The jazz innovator's powerful horn playing is so distinctive and his style is sometimes more comparable to that of a saxophonist. Get to know more about the musician with our guide to his illustrious career.
Where was Freddie Hubbard from?
Born in Indianapolis, Indiana, in 1938, the trumpeter's musical journey flourished early on, as he played and worked with Wes and Monk Montgomery when he was still in his teenage years. Moving to New York at the age of 20, he soon found success as he played with some of the finest jazz musicians of the age, including Quincy Jones, Eric Dolphy, Sonny Rollins, John Coltrane and Ornette Coleman.
How did Freddie Hubbard become famous?
At just the age of 23, Freddie had landed a contract with Blue Note Records, releasing his debut as a leader in 1962 - Ready for Freddie, which featured a young Wayne Shorter. During the 1960s, he recorded eight studio albums for Blue Note as a leader. This period also saw his horn feature on Herbie Hancock's Maiden Voyage and Wayne Shorter's Speak No Evil.
Despite this impressive feat, Freddie's big break came when he replaced Lee Morgan as the trumpeter in Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, with whom he played with from 1961 to 1964 and alongside Wayne Shorter and Curtis Fuller.
Which genre was Freddie Hubbard?
Freddie's 1960s and Blue Note output was very much in the hard bop style, but some of his best works came in the 1970s whilst venturing in jazz fusion through implementing elements of soul and funk. After signing with CTI, Freddie released Red Clay and Straight Life in 1970, followed by First Life 1971 and Sky Dive (1972).
Hubbard's widely-loved Red Clay displays his prowess as a bandleader, soloist and a composer, with the album featuring Joe Henderson on tenor saxophone, Ron Carter on bass, Lenny White on drums and Herbie Hancock on keys.
Following this period of success in the early 1970s, Hubbard received criticism for a series of more commercial releases when signing with Columbia. Following this, his reputation as a leader never really returned, but he still found success when playing with Herbie Hancock's group V.S.O.P. Quintet and other moments of glory.
When did Freddie Hubbard die?
After a series of health problems, including a ruptured lip which massively setback his playing in the 1990s onwards, Freddie passed away on 29th December 2008 after complications following a heart attack.