JAZZ REVIEW : Freddie Hubbard Shines at Royce With Help From All-Star Group

The career of Freddie Hubbard has taken as many turns as a politician makes promises. After two decades of indecision about whether to pursue the straight-ahead route or go for the gold via fusion, he landed on stage Saturday at Royce Hall with one of the best pure all-star jazz groups he has ever fronted.

Reading from left to right there were Cedar Walton at the piano, Andy Simpkins on bass, Joe Henderson on tenor saxophone and Ralph Penland on drums. With a lineup of that caliber it was hard to go wrong, and the 50-year-old trumpeter stayed largely on course from the opening measures of Monk’s “Off Minor” to the dramatic, long, drawn-out coda on Gillespie’s “Night in Tunisia.”

His technique is as stunning as ever, though he tends to strain a little in the upper register, and to aim rather frequently at histrionic effects in the stratosphere. His most musically valid moments were reached during a ballad medley, when he segued surprisingly from the verse of “Star Dust” to the chorus of “Body and Soul.”

Hubbard has always shown a sensitive melodic ear as a composer; on this occasion only two of his works were presented--”Up Jump Spring,” which he described as “my favorite waltz,” and the elegant “Little Sunflower.” For both of them he switched to fluegelhorn.

Henderson, a frequent associate, blended well with Hubbard on the thematic statements and soloed with the level of fierce intensity he has always brought to his work, sometimes at the expense of rhythmic finesse and beauty.

Cedar Walton came close to stealing the show. He has moved beyond his bop beginnings, but incorporates the elements of that era with a lyricism that has few equals on the contemporary keyboard scene.

Andy Simpkins, too, was a constant source of joy to the crowd and clearly also to Hubbard. Ralph Penland, in addition to furnishing a pop touch through his solos, provided an attentive ear as a rhythm section component.