Never one to take lyricism for granted, trumpeter and composer
Freddie Hubbard entered
Creed Taylor's studio for the third time in 1971 with the express purpose of making a record radically different from anything he'd cut before; he was looking for it to use electricity and to be out of the
soul-jazz mold, but was also more ambitious and wanted to push that envelope and himself.
Taylor and
Hubbard assembled a band that included
Herbie Hancock on Rhodes, guitarists
Eric Gale and
George Benson, bassist
Ron Carter,
Jack DeJohnette on drums,
Airto Moreira on percussion, and
Richard Wyands on acoustic piano to back him. The band was also supported by the truly ethereal and adventurous string arrangements of
Don Sebesky (a first for
Hubbard). The result is a masterpiece of textured sound, gorgeously far-flung charts, sweet, tight grooves, a subtle mystic feel, and some of
Hubbard's most exciting playing ever. The title track and
Hubbard's ingenious read of
Paul and
Linda McCartney's
"Uncle Albert/ Admiral Halsey," as well as
Leonard Bernstein's
"Lonely Town," are so in the pocket that they bleed soul.
Benson's uncharacteristically edgy guitar playing juxtaposed against
Hubbard's warm tone, and
Hancock's beautifully modal Rhodes lines that are drenched with big, open, minor chord voicings, are simply made more illustrious and graceful by
Sebesky's strings. While
Red Clay and
Straight Life are both fine albums,
First Light is the one that connects on all levels -- and it did with the
jazz-buying public as well. A masterpiece. ~ Thom Jurek
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