Search - Freddie Hubbard :: Sky Dive

Pleasant and slick

Max Poppius | Helsinki Finland | 11/06/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This, the last Freddie Hubbard outing on CTI, has all the good qualities that you associate with the label CTI. An all-star lineup, very good playing, imaginative arrangements for a large backing ensemble of strings and horns that is used sparingly enough not to overshadow the small group feel and exteneded solos, a beautiful slick sound. The overall slickness is also the weakness of this and other similar CTI albums: The music is polished and if not exactly unadventurous at least decidedly mellow. It aims to please and sell but is saved from blandness by the sheer quality of work. So this is an album for those of us who want to lay back and enjoy the spacious sound, fine solos of top players and the general smoothness of the production. Another Hubbard CTI album in much the same vein is First Light, whereas the excellent Red Clay has more fire and Straight Life propelled by drummer Jack De Johnette is very funky (in the Miles Davis' Bitches Brew sense)."

Still a treat after 30 years

John Walker | Manistee, MI USA | 01/06/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This Creed Taylor gem from the early 70's sounds even better now than it did then. Freddie Hubbard is, or at least was, a remarkable trumpet player - a genuine virtuoso with terrific tone, meldodic sense and emotional range. The songs are unusual, beautiful and in the groove. Ditto for everyone else on the album, which - I hadn't noticed this 30 years ago - includes Keith Jarrett. Ron Carter's bass is mesmerizing. Listening to his riff on the first song helped me appreciate the power of nuance and a subtle riff well placed."

YET ONE MORE GREAT CTI RELEASE FROM THE 70'S

COMPUTERJAZZMAN | Cliffside Park, New Jersey United States | 11/08/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"GEORGE BENSON , KEITH JARRETT, RON CARTER, BILLY COBHAM, HUBERT LAWS AND FREDDIE HUBBARD WERE SOME OF THE MOST PROLIFIC JAZZ RECORDING ARTISTS OF THE 1970'S AND THEY ARE ALL HERE ON THIS CTI RECORDS RELEASE FROM THE MID 70'S. I HAVE HAD THIS RECORD/CASSETTE/CD SINCE IT CAME OUT, IT IS AS GOOD TODAY AS IT WAS WHEN IT WAS RELEASED. I AM GLAD ALL OF THE OLD CTI RECORDS ARE FINALLY BEING RELEASED BY SONY ON CD, IT'S ABOUT TIME."