First Light

by Freddie Hubbard

Overview

Never one to take lyricism for granted, trumpeter and composer Freddie Hubbard entered Creed Taylor's studio for the third time in 1971 with the express purpose of making a record radically different from anything he'd cut before; he was looking for it to use electricity and to be out of the soul-jazz mold, but was also more ambitious and wanted to push that envelope and himself. Taylor and Hubbard assembled a band that included Herbie Hancock on Rhodes, guitarists Eric Gale and George Benson, bassist Ron Carter, Jack DeJohnette on drums, Airto Moreira on percussion, and Richard Wyands on acoustic piano to back him. The band was also supported by the truly ethereal and adventurous string arrangements of Don Sebesky (a first for Hubbard). The result is a masterpiece of textured sound, gorgeously far-flung charts, sweet, tight grooves, a subtle mystic feel, and some of Hubbard's most exciting playing ever. The title track and Hubbard's ingenious read of Paul and Linda McCartney's "Uncle Albert/ Admiral Halsey," as well as Leonard Bernstein's "Lonely Town," are so in the pocket that they bleed soul. Benson's uncharacteristically edgy guitar playing juxtaposed against Hubbard's warm tone, and Hancock's beautifully modal Rhodes lines that are drenched with big, open, minor chord voicings, are simply made more illustrious and graceful by Sebesky's strings. While Red Clay and Straight Life are both fine albums, First Light is the one that connects on all levels -- and it did with the jazz-buying public as well. A masterpiece. ~ Thom Jurek

Product Details

Release Date:	10/20/2017
Label:	PURE PLEASURE
UPC:	5060149622575

Tracks

1. First Light
2. Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey
3. Moment to Moment
4. Yesterday's Dreams
5. Lonely Town (From "On the Town")
6. Fantasy in D

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Freddie Hubbard   Primary Artist,Horn,Trumpet,Flugelhorn
Airto Moreira   Guest Artist,Percussion
George Benson   Guest Artist,Guitar
Hubert Laws   Guest Artist,Flute
Richard Wyands   Guest Artist,Piano
Ron Carter   Guest Artist,Bass
Jack DeJohnette   Guest Artist,Drums
Tosha Samaroff   Violin
David Nadien   Violin
Harold Kohon   Violin
Gene Orloff   Violin
James Buffington   French Horn
Eric Gale   Guitar,Guest Artist
Margaret Ross   Harp
Emanuel Green   Violin
Paul Gershman   Violin
Phil Kraus   Vibraphone,Vocals (Background)
Ray Alonge   French Horn
Irving Spice   Violin
George Marge   Flute,Clarinet
Matthew Raimondi   Violin
Romeo Penque   Oboe,Flute,Clarinet,Horn (English)
Herbie Hancock   Guest Artist
Wally Kane   Flute,Bassoon
Joseph Malin   Violin
Jane Taylor   Bassoon

Technical Credits

Rudy Van Gelder   Engineer
Norman Martin   Composer
Paul McCartney   Composer
Betty Comden   Composer
Didier C. Deutsch   Producer
Leonard Bernstein   Composer
Johnny Mercer   Composer
Adolph Green   Composer
Henry Mancini   Composer
Cedar Walton   Composer
Freddie Hubbard   Composer
Don Sebesky   Composer
Linda McCartney   Composer