This 1962 effort was
Freddie Hubbard's first recording under his own name for Impulse! Fellow
Jazz Messenger Curtis Fuller and newcomer
John Gilmore color the proceedings with added trombone and tenor saxophone, respectively. These rock-solid post-bop horn players are backed by the formidable rhythm section of
Tommy Flanagan on piano,
Art Davis on bass, and
Louis Hayes on drums.
Hubbard's shimmering style and clear tone show a clear debt to the late
Clifford Brown and a nod to the bold sonic curiosity of
John Coltrane. These are some hot young players pushing a classic format forward. The opening track is
Duke Ellington's intoxicating "Caravan." The horns play the theme loosely above the dark undercurrent of
Davis' and
Hayes' playing. The piece explodes into a
Hubbard solo that shows why he was the most talked-about young trumpeter of that era. The exceptional quality of his tone and range are amply displayed in his Latin-tinged version of the tender
Gershwin standard "Summertime." On the closing track, "The 7th Day,"
Hubbard and his sextet ride a sultry cool jazz groove for all it's worth and build patiently to some bold exchanges, bowing out with a slow fade.