Blue Spirits

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Blue Spirits
Englewood Cliffs, NJ
GenreJazz
Length44:35 original LP
62:04CD reissue
LabelBlue Note
BST 84196
ProducerAlfred Lion
Freddie Hubbard chronology
Breaking Point

(1964)
Blue Spirits
(1967)
The Night of the Cookers

(1965)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings
[4]

Blue Spirits is an album by trumpeter

Pete LaRoca. The CD release added tracks from a 1966 session featuring Hosea Taylor, Herbie Hancock, Reggie Workman, and Elvin Jones
.

Reception

Allmusic reviewer Scott Yanow stated: "The set is comprised of seven diverse Hubbard originals and, even though none of the songs caught on to become standards, the music is quite challenging and fairly memorable." As stated in the liner notes, "The use of a fourth horn for this album, coupled with an exclusive focus on Hubbard's compositions, really threw light on the trumpeter's command of harmony, which is such a critical part of both his improvising and writing personality".[5] Hubbard's playing here is among his best, and this album "is arguably the best recorded example of the Hubbard/James Spaulding partnership"[6]
which had been ongoing for the previous two years.

Track listing

All compositions by Freddie Hubbard

  1. "Soul Surge" - 10:24
  2. "Blue Spirits" - 12:14
  3. "Outer Forces" - 9:35
  4. "Cunga Black" - 5:15
  5. "Jodo" - 7:07
  6. "The Melting Pot" - 7:36 Bonus track on CD
  7. "True Colors" - 9:53 Bonus track on CD

Recorded on February 19, 1965 (#1, 4), February 26, 1965 (#2, 3, 5) and March 5, 1966 (#6-7).

Personnel

Tracks 1, 4

Tracks 2, 3, 5

  • Freddie Hubbard - trumpet
  • Hank Mobley - tenor saxophone
  • James Spaulding - alto saxophone (3 & 5), flute (2).
  • McCoy Tyner - piano
  • Bob Cranshaw - bass
  • Pete LaRoca
    - drums
  • Kiane Zawadi - euphonium

Tracks 6-7

Notes

On the CD reissue of Blue Spirits, track 7 is listed as Hancock performing on the celeste, although it sounds like a harpsichord.

References

  1. ^ "Album Reviews: Jazz". Billboard. February 18, 1967.
  2. AllMusic
  3. .
  4. .
  5. ^ 2003 reissue liner notes by Bob Blumenthal
  6. ^ 2003 reissue liner notes by Bob Blumenthal