Freddie Hubbard was one of the greatest jazz trumpeters of all time. Open Sesame was his first album as a leader and this 1960 set finds the 22-year old already sounding like he was a poll winner. Hubbard had emerged from Indianapolis just two years before and, despite a few brief high-profile gigs, including with Sonny Rollins, J.J. Johnson and the Quincy Jones Orchestra, he was at the beginning of it all when he recorded Open Sesame. No matter, he sounds like a seasoned pro, taking explosive solos on uptempo pieces, showing warmth and maturity on ballads and displaying a beautiful tone and an adventurous style throughout. Imagine being 22 and playing so brilliantly while McCoy Tyner is accompanying your solos! Always a courageous and a dramatic soloist, Freddie Hubbard shows with his fearless and fiery playing that he was already ready to conquer the jazz world in 1960. |
