Freddie Hubbard Tribute in Indianapolis

A friend remarked before a Freddie Hubbard tribute at the Madame Walker Theatre Friday night that it took four trumpeters to fill in for Hubbard. I think that's probably true. But the trumpeters who stood in for the Indianapolis-born jazz legend played fabulously. Randy Brecker, Nicholas Payton, Pharez Whitted and Derrick Gardner started blowing hard from the start, trading solos on "Byrdlike," Hubbard's homage to fellow trumpeter Donald Byrd. They had a lot of help, particularly from James Spaulding, one of Hubbard's oldest friends and collaborators, who coaxed some magic out of both his saxophone and his flute.

Another of Hubbard's old friends from Hoosierland, Dr. David Baker, served as the emcee and band director, peppering the concert with fond, often amusing, recollections of the great trumpeter. For example, Baker recalled a time in New York when Hubbard emptied his pockets and walked on his hands all the way down the street. Hubbard often employed the same sense of acrobatics when he played. The band captured that well, particularly on "Hub-Tones." Brecker, Payton, Whitted and Gardner engaged in a miniature cutting contest on the song, each playing for 10 to 15 seconds before the next trumpeter in line cut him off. Whitted and Gardner, hitting some of the highest notes I've heard in a long time, were especially impressive.

All 10 members of the ensemble were impressive, though.
• Drummer Donald Edwards kept the band energized. And his solos were a swirling mix of power and nuance.
• Rufus Reid, long one of my favorite bassists, sets a mood about as well as anyone I know. He highlighted the beauty and warmth of Hubbard's compositions with sensuous introductions at the beginning of songs and colorful fills, swathed in a variety of textures, in the middle.
• Pianist Steve Allee, who along with Dr. Baker and Derrick Gardner arranged the tunes for the show, displayed a keen understanding for the many moods of Hubbard's music.
• Vincent Gardner, one of the best young trombonists in jazz, stepped out front more than when I've seen him with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. He's a lyrical trombonist who navigates melodies with the ease of a trumpeter.
• Rob Dixon, now based in Indianapolis, helped captured the bluesy side of Hubbard's tunes with an earthy sound that reminds me a bit Gene Ammons, or maybe Arnett Cobb, but with a lot of modern flourishes.
• I've been waiting almost my whole life to hear Randy Brecker in concert. He played with a soulful feel that served as a cue for everyone else in the band.
• I've seen Nicholas Payton many times, but I don't think I've ever heard him play better. I'm sure the spirit of Freddie Hubbard inspired him. If you closed your eyes during a few of his solos, I'll bet you'd swear Hubbard was on the stage, adding a bit of New Orleans to the mix.
• I've seen Pharez Whitted play many times, too, mostly at Fred Anderson's Velvet in Lounge in Chicago. There, Whitted usually explores the outer boundaries of jazz. Friday night he mostly stuck to the melodies, but he did so with an energetic, free-wheeling style.
• Derrick Gardner was the biggest surprise of the evening. He plays his trumpet like he's the Energizer Bunny on fire. I really need to track down one of his albums.
• It must have been an emotional evening for James Spaulding, who formed a band with Hubbard when they were still youngsters. On alto saxophone, he echoed the sweeter side of Hubbard's songs. On flute, he fluttered ethereally.

The band played for more than two hours across two sets, exploring some of Hubbard's lesser-known songs as well as many of his classic tunes. At times, they sounded almost symphonic, but they always seemed to drift, make that bound, back to the fire. Hubbard was both an innovator and a master technician and his recordings were always white hot. At one point, Dr. Baker illustrated that point by humming a few riffs Hubbard invented. Just about every trumpeter in the world now plays those riffs, Dr. Baker said, even if they don't know where they came from.

I've been to a number of tribute shows over the years, but I don't think I've ever attended a better one. Then again, considering the artist who was being honored, that's not really surprising.
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