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| Straight Life | 
 enlarge | List Price: $6.99
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Avg. Customer Rating:  (based on 20 reviews)
Sales Rank: 9908
Category: Music
Artist: Freddie Hubbard
Publisher: Sbme Special Mkts.
Studio: Sbme Special Mkts.
Manufacturer: Sbme Special Mkts.
Label: Sbme Special Mkts.
Format: Limited Edition
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 5 x 0.5
MPN: 724268
UPC: 886972426822
EAN: 0886972426822
ASIN: B0012GMYWS
Release Date: March 1, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
 Genuine Jazz for Everybody September 15, 2006
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
CTI Records' early 1970s catalogue is an embarrassment of riches, with nearly all the brightest lights of the preceding decade appearing repeatedly as leaders and/or sidemen on well-balanced albums which for the most part manage to be both artistic and accessible. Trumpeter Freddie Hubbard was one of the label's biggest stars, and this 1970 blowing session (his second CTI LP) serves as a fine case in point. Surrounded by fellow ex-Blue Note Wunderkinder (Herbie Hancock and Joe Henderson), Miles Davis rhythm section alumni (Ron Carter and Jack DeJohnette) and the tasty picking of a young George Benson, Hubbard riffs through two extended original jams in characteristically titanic fashion, slowing down to display his matchless sensitivity on a light, lovely cover of "Here's That Rainy Day." All hands deliver a fine, funky performance, which is happily free of the hit-or-miss orchestrations which CTI employed on most of its releases at the time, including many of Hubbard's. Classic early fusion of a decidedly listenable variety, STRAIGHT LIFE is a great way for pop and rock fans to get themselves into jazz, and for jazz fans to remind themselves what it was that made them fall in love with the genre in the first place. Hot!
 oh, boy!! March 23, 2006
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
this is one of the albums that makes anyone who says george benson is washed up look like a big stupid jerk. cti in the seventies was the label for jazz as far as i'm concerned, this album is packed tight with incredible jams.
Slammin'... February 24, 2006
7 out of 7 found this review helpful
This is one of the most hard hitting jazz albums I've ever heard. The band assembled for "Straight Life" pretty much explains why: Joe Henderson on sax, George Benson on guitar, Herbie Hancock on piano/keyboards, Ron Carter on bass, and Jack DeJohnette on drums. (Weldon Irvine is even given credit for playing tambourine!). Almost everyone that plays on this album had recorded with Miles Davis at some time or another, and Freddie Hubbard ended up with a monster of an album in incorporating all that talent into one group. The seventeen minute title track is awesome; all the instrumentalists are in top form and turn in inspired solos. Joe Henderson in particular blew me away on this song. His solos are ridiculous here; I have some of his solo stuff and his playing on those discs doesn't compare to how he played here. George Benson also is a standout with his creative solo and occasional flurries of notes. Jack DeJohnette lays down a solid beat throughout. "Mr Clean" was written by Weldon Irvine (also worth checking out is Irvine's own version from the album "Liberated Brother", if you can find a copy) and continues the rapid fire soloing and mood of track one. Hubbard's playing throughout this song is fluid and fiery. "Here's That Rainy Day" slows things down but ends the album on a pleasant note. This was one of the first CD's by Freddie Hubbard that I ever got and has remained one of my favorites. If you are a fan of jazz in any form I can't recommend this disc enough.
Nice One From Freddie! July 27, 2005
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
the first 30 seconds are a little strange as freddie blows like crazy and then a drum roll is played. . . again. . . again. on first listen, i was scared. the first two cuts are long and funky. the groovy foundation is set up quick on both tunes, and then it's solo after solo. this isn't as bland as i make it sound. it's actually pretty exciting, but it's hit and miss. when it misses it's because the groove gets lost and, as you might expect, some of the solos are better than others. the playing is consistently good though and the solos are really creative and the artists aren't scared to venture into the unknown. the third track is a nice and tight ballad with trumpet, bass and guitar. it doesn't really fit the style of the rest of the cd, but it's still good and may be the best tune on the album. as usual for cti recordings, the supporting band is top notch.
 Not his best work February 10, 2005
8 out of 11 found this review helpful
There are definitely some great moments on this album, and the rendition of "Here's That Rainy Day" is one of the best you'll find anywhere. But the rest of this album is mainly one-chord jazz-funk jamming that wears thin pretty quickly. Hubbard's other big CTI album, Red Clay, generally gets a lot more attention, and for good reason: it covers much of the same territory as Straight Life and then some, and sounds more inspired to boot. Skip this and pick up Red Clay instead; it's definitely the crown jewel in Hubbard's discography.
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