Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Freddie Hubbard: “I Remember Clifford” (1984)



This is Freddie Hubbard performing “I Remember Clifford” with Art Blakey and the All Star Jazz Messengers -- Benny Golson, Curtis Fuller, Walter Davis Jr, Buster Williams -- in 1984.

Frederick Dewayne Hubbard (1938 –2008) was an American jazz trumpeter. He was known primarily for playing in the bebop, hard bop and post bop styles from the early 60s and on. His unmistakable and influential tone contributed to new perspectives for modern jazz and bebop. Hubbard replaced trumpeter Lee Morgan in Blakey’s Jazz Messengers in 1961 and played with the group until 1966. From there he played with many small groups of his own. He made several recordings through the early 1990’s.

In 2006, The National Endowment for the Arts honored Hubbard with its highest honor in jazz, the NEA Jazz Masters Award.

Hubbard died this past Monday in Indianapolis from complications following a heart attack in November.

“I Remember Clifford” is a jazz threnody written by Benny Golson in memory of the Clifford Brown, the influential jazz trumpeter who was killed in an automobile accident in 1956 at the age of 25.

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