Is Freddie Hubbard's Columbia Material Available Anywhere?

[Eric]

I remember about three years ago or so driving to Boston with Freddie for a gig and listening to Super Blue and High Energy to proof the new masters for Sony. Super Blue had three bonus tracks (Super Blue, Theme for Kareem and Take it to the Ozone) that were killing. Super Blue is probably his best all around date for Columbia and kind of an all around great record. High Energy has it moments too. Freddie always loved a Love Connection which I can't seem to muster the same affection for. Gleam I haven't listened to in a while but remember it being a very solid live date. All the Columbia dates have something of merit on them though some certainly more than others. Sony slated Super Blue and High Energy for release but it never happenend. They have been remastered and are ready to go but I don't know if they will ever see the light of day.

Wonder if Wounded Bird had access to said High Energy new masters for their recent issue?

Edited May 30, 2009 by Eric

[king ubu]

This one's pretty good:

And it's been on sale (9$) for quite a while: Freddie Hubbard - Super Blue

[Eric]

A dustygroove waffling review fragment for High Energy: "a core quintet that also features excellent reeds from Junior Cook -- possibly one of his strongest (and only) appearances on an electric date like this."

Possibly one of the strongest of his only appearance on an electric date? It's scary so far out there on a limb.

I bought both High Energy and Skagly and would give Skagly the slight edge. Neither are perfect, but the overall group sound is a little cluttered or unpleasantly dense on High Energy. Skagly reminds me somewhat of the stuff Woody Shaw was putting out on Columbia at the same time - and is closer to Super Blue than High Energy is.

[David Ayers]

Can't argue with the cover of Scagly. Liquid Love on the other hand makes me feel slightly queasy.

[Eric]

A dustygroove waffling review fragment for High Energy: "a core quintet that also features excellent reeds from Junior Cook -- possibly one of his strongest (and only) appearances on an electric date like this."

Possibly one of the strongest of his only appearance on an electric date? It's scary so far out there on a limb.

I bought both High Energy and Skagly and would give Skagly the slight edge. Neither are perfect, but the overall group sound is a little cluttered or unpleasantly dense on High Energy. Skagly reminds me somewhat of the stuff Woody Shaw was putting out on Columbia at the same time - and is closer to Super Blue than High Energy is.

So wow - five years later - and I have been listening to Skagly on a semi-regular basis. Hard bop for the seventies? Fusion with bite? Either way, it has become one of my favorite FH albums.

Edited April 15, 2014 by Eric

[David Ayers]

These are all on their way back as 3-for-2 packages from BGO.

http://www.bgo-records.com/search?search%5Bq%5D=hubbard