FREDDIE HUBBARD — Skagly (review)

FREDDIE HUBBARD — Skagly album cover Album · 1980 · Post-Fusion Contemporary Buy this album from MMA partners
3/5 ·
dreadpirateroberts
Deep into his more commercial period 'Skagly' finds Hubbard taking a slicker approach in some ways, blending an at times very light funk with a smoother sound for Columbia.

Ultimately it's less satisfying than a lot of his Hard Bop or Fusion classics, but it's got its share of interesting moments, one of which is the title track, also the album's longest at over fourteen minutes. Here Hubbard's regular group of the period is expanded to include guests Phil Ranelin, George Duke and Jeff Baxter on trombone, claves and guitar respectively. Solos spread out over a more riff-based approach to the rhythm section and the effect is to achieve some welcome tonal difference to the rest of the album. In a similar, if lighter vein, is opener 'Happiness is Now' which is probably the most commercial-sounding track on the album, with its smooth groove, complete with upbeat bass-lines and chilled phrasing from Hubbard.

Elsewhere the pieces don't leap out - 'Theme from Summer of 42' suffers from a lackluster arrangement and 'Cascais' is fair but not really memorable. In fact, the closer 'Rustic Celebration' employs Childs' keys and Caliman's flute to better use and has a bit more going on.

While broad comparisons to 'First Light' probably aren't unreasonable, 'Skagly' doesn't have the same feel in the end. As a collection of songs, it's both more restrained and less emotive. Does all this make it a bad album? No. There's just not the same level of risk-taking or innovation as heard on many of his other records.

(Trivia: Cover image is of 'five-octave' singer Thilita according to a 1980 issue of 'Jet.')
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