March 7, 2019
Freddie Hubbard’s first recording as a leader, Open Sesame features the 22-year-old trumpeter in a quintet with tenor saxophonist Tina Brooks, the up-and-coming pianist McCoy Tyner, bassist Sam Jones and drummer Clifford Jarvis. This set shows that even at this early stage, Hubbard had the potential to be one of the greats. On the ballad “But Beautiful” he shows maturity; other highlights include “Open Sesame,” a driving “All or Nothing at All” and “One Mint Julep.” It’s an impressive start to what would be a very interesting career. ~ Scott Yanow
