Freddie Hubbard - Ready For Freddie (2021 Blue Note Classic Vinyl 180g LP)

Recorded on 21 August 1961 at Rudy Van Gelder's legendary Englewood Cliffs studio, Ready For Freddie captures the 23-year-old trumpeter leading an all-star sextet through one of Blue Note's most distinctive hard bop sessions. The album features the remarkable frontline of Hubbard, tenor saxophonist Wayne Shorter, and euphonium player Bernard McKinney, creating unusual timbral combinations rarely heard in jazz. Backed by the rhythm section that would soon become John Coltrane's classic quartet (pianist McCoy Tyner, bassist Art Davis, and drummer Elvin Jones), Hubbard delivers five compositions ranging from the modal opener "Arietis" through the ballad "Weaver Of Dreams" to the explosive closer "Crisis", showcasing both his formidable technical command and his gift for memorable melodic writing.

The euphonium's inclusion is the session's distinctive feature, McKinney's mellow, tuba-like voice adding unusual harmonic depth to the frontline while creating textural contrasts with Hubbard's brilliant trumpet and Shorter's probing tenor. Shorter, just beginning his rise to prominence, contributes sophisticated solos that hint at the harmonic and rhythmic innovations he would soon explore with Miles Davis. The rhythm section, already working together in various contexts before officially joining Coltrane, demonstrates the telepathic interaction and propulsive energy that would define 1960s modern jazz. Tyner's block chords and modal voicings, Jones' polyrhythmic drumming, and Davis' melodic bass work provide both grounding and inspiration for the frontline's explorations.

This 22 October 2021 reissue represents premium contemporary vinyl production. Kevin Gray's remastering at Cohearent Audio draws from the original Van Gelder tapes, while Optimal Media in Germany has pressed this on 180-gram vinyl. Gray's all-analogue mastering combined with Optimal's quality pressing ensures this ranks among the finest-sounding editions of Ready For Freddie available, capturing Van Gelder's pristine 1961 recording with modern clarity and dynamics. Part of Blue Note's Classic Vinyl Series, this reissue offers collectors an audiophile presentation of an essential hard bop recording at the peak of Blue Note's creative and commercial success.