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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 /TiVo
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David Nadien, Violin - Don Sebesky, Conductor, Arranger - Hubert Laws, Flute - Gene Orloff, Violin - Tosha Samaroff, Violin - Paul Gershman, Violin - George Ricci, Cello - Romeo Penque, Clarinet, Flute, Oboe, English Horn - Jack DeJohnette, Drums - Charles McCracken, Cello - Phil Kraus, Vibraphone - Airto Moreira, Percussion - Wally Kane, Bassoon, Flute - Ron Carter, Bass - George Benson, Electric Guitar - Rudy Van Gelder, Engineer - Emanuel Vardi, Viola - Matthew Raimondi, Violin - Freddie Hubbard, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, Fluegelhorn - George Marge, Clarinet, Flute - Alfred Brown, Viola - Emanuel Green, Violin - Margaret Ross, Harp - Joe Malin, Violin - F. Hubbard, Composer - Irving Spice, Violin - Richard Wyands, Piano - Jane Taylor, Bassoon - James Buffington, French Horn - Creed Taylor, Producer - Harold Kohon, Violin - Ray Alonge, French Horn
Originally released 1971. All rights reserved by Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
David Nadien, Violin - Don Sebesky, Conductor, Arranger - Hubert Laws, Flute - Gene Orloff, Violin - Tosha Samaroff, Violin - Paul Gershman, Violin - George Ricci, Cello - Romeo Penque, Clarinet, Flute, Oboe, English Horn - Jack DeJohnette, Drums - Charles McCracken, Cello - Phil Kraus, Vibraphone - Airto Moreira, Percussion - McCartney, Composer, Lyricist - Wally Kane, Bassoon, Flute - Ron Carter, Bass - George Benson, Electric Guitar - Rudy Van Gelder, Engineer - Emanuel Vardi, Viola - Matthew Raimondi, Violin - Freddie Hubbard, MainArtist, Fluegelhorn - George Marge, Clarinet, Flute - Alfred Brown, Viola - Emanuel Green, Violin - Margaret Ross, Harp - Joe Malin, Violin - Irving Spice, Violin - Richard Wyands, Piano - Jane Taylor, Bassoon - James Buffington, French Horn - Creed Taylor, Producer - Harold Kohon, Violin - Ray Alonge, French Horn
Originally Released 1971 Sony Music Entertainment Inc.
David Nadien, Violin - Don Sebesky, Conductor, Arranger - Hubert Laws, Flute - Gene Orloff, Violin - Tosha Samaroff, Violin - Paul Gershman, Violin - George Ricci, Cello - Romeo Penque, Clarinet, Flute, Oboe, English Horn - Jack DeJohnette, Drums - Charles McCracken, Cello - Phil Kraus, Vibraphone - Johnny Mercer, Lyricist - Henry Mancini, Composer - Airto Moreira, Percussion - Wally Kane, Bassoon, Flute - Ron Carter, Bass - George Benson, Electric Guitar - Rudy Van Gelder, Engineer - Emanuel Vardi, Viola - Matthew Raimondi, Violin - Freddie Hubbard, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, Fluegelhorn - George Marge, Clarinet, Flute - Alfred Brown, Viola - Emanuel Green, Violin - Margaret Ross, Harp - Joe Malin, Violin - Irving Spice, Violin - Richard Wyands, Piano - Jane Taylor, Bassoon - James Buffington, French Horn - Creed Taylor, Producer - Harold Kohon, Violin - Ray Alonge, French Horn
(P) 1975 Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
N. Martin, Composer, Lyricist - David Nadien, Violin - Don Sebesky, Conductor, Arranger - Hubert Laws, Flute - Gene Orloff, Violin - Tosha Samaroff, Violin - Paul Gershman, Violin - George Ricci, Cello - Romeo Penque, Clarinet, Flute, Oboe, English Horn - Jack DeJohnette, Drums - Charles McCracken, Cello - Phil Kraus, Vibraphone - Airto Moreira, Percussion - Wally Kane, Bassoon, Flute - Ron Carter, Bass - George Benson, Electric Guitar - Rudy Van Gelder, Engineer - Emanuel Vardi, Viola - Matthew Raimondi, Violin - Freddie Hubbard, Trumpet, MainArtist - George Marge, Clarinet, Flute - Alfred Brown, Viola - Emanuel Green, Violin - Margaret Ross, Harp - Joe Malin, Violin - Irving Spice, Violin - Richard Wyands, Piano - Jane Taylor, Bassoon - D. Sebesky, Composer, Lyricist - James Buffington, French Horn - Creed Taylor, Producer - Harold Kohon, Violin - Ray Alonge, French Horn
Originally Released 1971 Sony Music Entertainment Inc.
L. Bernstein, Composer, Lyricist - David Nadien, Violin - Don Sebesky, Conductor, Arranger - Hubert Laws, Flute - Gene Orloff, Violin - Tosha Samaroff, Violin - Paul Gershman, Violin - George Ricci, Cello - Romeo Penque, Clarinet, Flute, Oboe, English Horn - Jack DeJohnette, Drums - Charles McCracken, Cello - Phil Kraus, Vibraphone - Airto Moreira, Percussion - Wally Kane, Bassoon, Flute - Ron Carter, Bass - George Benson, Electric Guitar - Rudy Van Gelder, Engineer - Emanuel Vardi, Viola - Matthew Raimondi, Violin - Freddie Hubbard, MainArtist, Fluegelhorn - Adolph Green, Composer, Lyricist - Betty Comden, Composer, Lyricist - George Marge, Clarinet, Flute - Alfred Brown, Viola - Emanuel Green, Violin - Margaret Ross, Harp - Joe Malin, Violin - Irving Spice, Violin - Richard Wyands, Piano - Jane Taylor, Bassoon - James Buffington, French Horn - Creed Taylor, Producer - Harold Kohon, Violin - Ray Alonge, French Horn
Originally Released 1971 Sony Music Entertainment Inc.
David Nadien, Violin - Don Sebesky, Conductor, Arranger - Hubert Laws, Flute - C. WALTON, Composer - Gene Orloff, Violin - Tosha Samaroff, Violin - Paul Gershman, Violin - George Ricci, Cello - Romeo Penque, Clarinet, Flute, Oboe, English Horn - Jack DeJohnette, Drums - Charles McCracken, Cello - Phil Kraus, Vibraphone - Airto Moreira, Percussion - Wally Kane, Bassoon, Flute - Ron Carter, Bass - George Benson, Electric Guitar - Rudy Van Gelder, Engineer - Emanuel Vardi, Viola - Matthew Raimondi, Violin - Freddie Hubbard, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, Fluegelhorn - George Marge, Clarinet, Flute - Alfred Brown, Viola - Emanuel Green, Violin - Margaret Ross, Harp - Joe Malin, Violin - Irving Spice, Violin - Richard Wyands, Piano - Jane Taylor, Bassoon - James Buffington, French Horn - Creed Taylor, Producer - Harold Kohon, Violin - Ray Alonge, French Horn
Originally released 1971. All rights reserved by Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Eric Gale, Piano - Jack DeJohnette, Drums - Ron Carter, Bass - HERBIE HANCOCK, Piano - Rudy Van Gelder, Engineer - Freddie Hubbard, Trumpet, MainArtist - F. Hubbard, Composer, Lyricist - Creed Taylor, Producer
(P) 2003 Sony Music Entertainment Inc.
Album review
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 /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 7 track(s)
- Total length: 00:58:55
- Main artists: Freddie Hubbard
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Masterworks Jazz
- Genre: Jazz
Originally Released 1971 Sony Music Entertainment / (P) 1975, 2003 Sony Music Entertainment
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