Freddie Hubbard – Ready for Freddie (1962) Review | Hard Bop Vs. Post Bop Vs. The Desire to Bop Jazz Critics on the Nose
Kronomyth 4.0: Another Blue Notable Outing.
ChatGPT, bless its misguided heart, insists that if I simply listen to this and Freddie Hubbard’s last album, Hub Cap, I’ll hear the difference between the hard bop style of the one and the transitional hard bop/post bop sound of Ready for Freddie. Honestly, I have a better chance of distinguishing French Vanilla and Homemade Vanilla ice cream. Wiser minds than mine have tackled the question before: hard bop features elements of blues and gospel, which I’m pretty sure is a dog whistle for afro-centric; post bop is more experimental. But isn’t all of jazz an experiment in sound? It’s a musical conversation around a central subject, which may be a few random notes or a melody for the ages. The suggestion that all six members of this band went in with the idea of playing hard bop on some tracks and post bop on others seems silly. Arietis has a quick, short melody, so the band plays it brisk. Weaver of Dreams has a lovely and langorous melody, so the group treads more gently. And then there’s the individual personality of the players. Hubbard loves to slip in quick, fluttering passages that highlight his exceptional speed and control. McCoy Tyner is sophisticated, uses space brilliantly, and often carries the melody. Wayne Shorter’s tenor sax cuts wide and smooth but challenges the listener with its amelodic choices. A tune like Marie Antoinette points toward post bop, but more than that it’s representative of Shorter’s own style. Using the same lineup as his last album—trumpet, tenor, trombone, piano, bass & drums—the difference isn’t the period but the players. I’ve never found Hubbard to be a particularly skilled leader, at least in his early recordings. I wouldn’t call him a gifted songwriter either. He is an incredibly talented horn player, and that talent bought him a lot of credibility that may have covered any shortcomings in composition or camaraderie. It’s impossible to listen to Birdlike, for example, and not be impressed with the man’s abilities. Shorter and Bernard McKinney, however, seem to get short shrift on these tunes. In the end, the labels on Ready for Freddie fall off. What I hear is Hubbard showing off, Shorter showing us the future and the rest of the band showing up. It’s not a bad album by any means—in fact, some listeners rank it among his best works—and the closing Crisis brings everyone together to end things on a classy note, but I’ve always enjoyed Hubbard more on other people’s albums than his own.
The Product
A1. Arietis (6:39)
A2. Weaver of Dreams (Victor Young/Jack Elliott) (6:34)
A3. Marie Antoinette (Wayne Shorter) (6:37)
B1. Birdlike (10:34)
B2. Crisis (11:42)
All songs written by Freddie Hubbard unless noted.
The Players
Freddie Hubbard (trumpet), Art Davis (bass), Elvin Jones (drums), Bernard McKinney (euphonium), Wayne Shorter (tenor saxophone), McCoy Tyner (piano). Produced by Alfred Lion; recording by Rudy Van Gelder.
The Pictures
Cover photo by Francis Wolff. Liner notes by Nat Hentoff.
The Plastic
Released on mono elpee in 1962 in the US (Blue Notes, BLP 4085).
- Re-issued on stereo elpee in 1967 in the US (Blue Note, BST-84085).
- Re-issued on 180g vinyl elpee in the US (Blue Note Connoisseur Series, B1-32094).
- Re-issued on compact disc in November 1992 in Japan (Blue Note/Toshiba, BN-4085).
- Re-issued on 180g vinyl elpee in 2021 in Germany (Blue Note/Universal, ST-84085).
