Blue Moods: Force & Grace

Blue Moods' Force & Grace is the third in a series of Posi-Tone releases in which music of under-recognized jazz composers is given a fair shake by bands comprised of some of the label's leading lights. This time around, the group features 12 compositions by Freddie Hubbard, a figure revered for his prowess as a trumpeter, to the neglect of his talent as a writer. The material receives straightforward no-frills treatments, making it easier to savor Hubbard's penchant for writing catchy lines that simultaneously encourage bodily movement and give pause for thought. To the credit of everyone involved, this does not feel like a tribute record. The performances are too robust, articulate and self-assured to encourage nostalgia about Hubbard's considerable contributions to jazz. The absence of a trumpet, a wise move on the part of producer Marc Free, also eliminates the distraction of inevitable comparisons to Hubbard's expertise on the instrument.

Hubbard's companionable compositions reference (and sometimes subtly fuse) hard bop, Latin, soul jazz and other familiar styles. Amidst all this convention, Hubbard throws in a few surprises. "Latina" amounts to an unusually fluid funk, prodded by accents by drummer Vinnie Sperrazza that encircle and augment the tune. "D Minor Mint" moves from a shifty offbeat bass figure, executed with aplomb by Boris Kozlov, to a joyous straightforward swing. "Soul Surge" is an affable soul jazz line that hops along in a meter of 7 (one of the record's two tracks in this time signature). Just as important are examples of Hubbard's ballad bona fides, "Brigitte" and "Lament For Booker," both of which are lovely and substantial.

Eight of the record's 12 tracks are under five minutes. Yet, they do not feel curtailed, due to the care with which the band executes Hubbard's lines and the three primary soloists' ability to fashion appealing statements in relatively brief periods. These compact packages often include ear-catching things that make a difference. For instance, Sperrazza's brief breaks at the onset of "Sky Dive," "Happy Times" and "Soul Surge" are almost compositions in themselves, setting up the tunes in distinctive ways that are about texture as well as momentum. His gravelly buzz strokes amidst other beats add an edge to the outhead of "Soul Surge."

Unlike some contemporary players who seem to throw everything but the kitchen sink into an improvisation and sacrifice stability in favor of diffuse helpings of raw emotional content, tenor and soprano saxophonist Diego Rivera, the record's only horn, makes his mark with a savvy combination of persistence, calculation and wisdom. He does not necessarily need to boil over to make an impact; the accumulation of detail is always convincing. Rivera's "On The Que-Tee" turn gradually disengages from the melody and builds up steam. Throughout "D Minor Mint," he keeps on coming yet never forgoes order and stability.

Art Hirahara and Jon Davis each hold down the piano chair for six tracks. Both are responsive to the nuances of Hubbard's lines and their mates in the rhythm section; they also know when to hold back and when to surge forward in support of Rivera's solos. Hirahara's "On The Que-Tee" improvisation evinces a rock-solid sense of time and swing that runs deep. Davis's "Soul Surge" solo relishes soulful jazz piano conventions and takes them in various, sometimes far-flung, directions without sacrificing continuity.

Blue Moods does an exemplary job of shedding light on Hubbard's compositions. However, the primary reason to spend time with Force & Grace is the depth and vigor of the individual performances.

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