Freddie Hubbard

Hubbard's trumpet sings all over this 1970 release. His solos and melodies bridge the hard bop style of the preceding years, while the funk backbeat and myriad styles set the tone for the fusion experiments that would follow. The title track is the one to beat -- it's a zig-zagging masterwork of funkiness and tight composition. Bassist Ron Carter tears it up on this LP.