CD of the Day - "Freddie Hubbard: The Hub of Hubbard"

CD of the Day
Freddie Hubbard: "The Hub of Hubbard" (MPS) 1969/2009

Terrific hard-bop session. Nice versions of three standards - "Without A Song," "Just One Of Those Things" (done at a very fast tempo) and the gorgeous ballad "The Things We Did Last Summer" - plus Hubbard's own "Blues For Duane" and the bonus track "Muses For Richard Davis," a tune by pianist Roland Hanna played as a muted trumpet/arco bass duet. Richard Davis (bass), Louis Hayes (drums) and Eddie Daniels (just tenor sax, no clarinet) complete the quintet.
Produced by Joachim Ernst Berendt & Sonny Lester in a single session (December 9, 1969) at MPS Studios in Villingen, Germany, Hubbard's first album for the MPS label is now being reissued (under the production of Matthias Künnecke) on Universal's best-selling JazzClub series, preserving Manfred Schoof's original liner notes.

It can be purchased in the USA through Dusty Groove:
http://www.dustygroove.com/item.php?id=h5k7r6hnyd&ref=browse.php&refQ=kwfilter%3DHub%2Bof%2BHubbard%26amp%3Bincl_oos%3D1%26amp%3Bincl_cs%3D1

Their comments:
"A classic European date from Freddie Hubbard -- recorded right around the vintage of his Red Clay years, but with a sound that hearkens back more towards his Blue Note sessions of the mid 60s! There's a nicely angular feel to this set -- that bold, modern quality that really set Hubbard apart from other players of his generation -- and while some of the songs show Freddie's growing love of longer, more openly rhythmic tunes -- there's also still a sharper focus on the bold talents of the soloists. Freddie's on trumpet throughout, and other players include Eddie Daniels on tenor -- still really sounding great at this point, with a surprisingly hard edge -- plus Roland Hanna on piano, Richard Davis on bass, and Louis Hayes on drums. Titles include "Blues For Duane", "The Things We Did Last Summer", and "Without A Song" -- and all tracks are long."