Freddie Hubbard All Stars Joe Henderson, Larry Coryell Freddie Hubbard Joe Henderson Larry Coryell/France 1984 Complete & more Soundboard Edition

Each member is sparking off their own unique style, improvising with all their might! This is what an all-star session should be like! Not only the frontmen, but even the rhythm section that supports the backbone are not silent. It’s an amazing live performance that makes you feel like you’ve traveled back in time to the good old days when Parker, Gillespie, Miles, Rollins, Blakey and others were in their prime! This three-disc set features two rare, never-before-seen performances from the All-Stars’ July 12, 1984 performance in Nice, France, recorded in its entirety over two hours, featuring the first half of the show from the soundboard broadcast at the time and the master recordings made by the band’s staff. The first half is recorded using the soundboard recordings from the original broadcast and the first half is recorded using the master recordings made by the band’s staff. This exceptional recording is so high-quality that it’s difficult to tell the difference between the soundboard and the audience recordings. The second performance features the All-Stars’ July 16, 1984 performance in Nimes, France, recorded over an hour and a half on the same soundboard, also mastered by the label. This is the only performance of the All-Stars to feature Larry Coryell. This setlist, however, will get any jazz fan excited just by looking at the tracklists, including “Impressions,” “Straight No Chaser,” “Birdlike,” “Round Midnight,” “Here’s That Rainy Day,” and Freddie’s signature “Red Clay.” It’s no exaggeration to say the entire album is worth listening to, but to briefly summarize, Hubbard’s signature 25-minute masterpiece, “Red Clay,” begins with a striking theme played in unison by Hubbard and Joe Henson. This is followed by a lengthy solo improvisation from Joe Henson, blasting out his manly, bold tenor voice. Next, Petrucciani, in his prime, displays his powerful piano playing, reminiscent of Oscar Peterson, before finally launching into Hubbard’s long solo! The same incredible technique and masterful playing that made his big break on “VSOP” with Herbie and the rest of Miles Davis’s golden quintet is still present, and it’s simply breathtaking! The ballad “Here’s That Rainy Day” showcases trumpeter Hubbard’s powerful playing, weaving a deep, expressive sound throughout the entire song. Meanwhile, in the boppish “Birdlike,” Joehen, Petrucciani, and Hubbard all deliver aggressive solos. The final part of Hubbard’s solo, where he unleashes a barrage of virtuoso playing, backed only by Billy Hart’s powerful drumming, is simply breathtaking!