Track Listing

1. Open Sesame
2. But Beautiful
3. Gypsy Blue
4. All Over Nothing At All
5. One Mint Julep
6. Hub's Nub
7. Open Sesame (1)
8. Gypsy Blue (1)

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3306 in Music
• Released on: 2002-02-04
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered
• Dimensions: .21 pounds

Amazon.co.uk Review
Recorded in 1960, Freddie Hubbard's Open Sesame is not only a very good CD: it dramatises history in the making. The trumpeter was not unknown then, but he was still in his early years; so was pianist McCoy Tyner, for whom a momentous association with John Coltrane was just around the corner. Indeed, the best-known musician at the time of recording was bassist Sam Jones, and while he went on to bigger things with Cannonball Adderley and then Oscar Peterson, it was Hubbard and Tyner who would emerge as unambiguously major figures. That by rights should also have characterised tenorist Tina Brooks, but this superb player (his work on "But Beautiful" here is exquisite) never got the recognition he deserved, dying almost forgotten in 1974 at the age of 42. Further highlights include the leader's "Hub's Nub" and the two takes apiece of the title track and "Gypsy Blue", both excellent compositions by Brooks. Mention should also be made of drummer Clifford Jarvis, a young lion steeped in Blakey, and of Rudy Van Gelder's predictably flawless engineering. The music both invigorates and enchants, and its reappearance, handsomely packaged, is most welcome. --Richard Palmer

Album Description
Open Sesame was Freddie Hubbard's recording debut, and it announced the arrival of an extraordinary trumpeter, both technically and artistically. This album teamed him with tenor saxophonist and composer Tina Brooks (they would reconvene a week later to record Brooks's True Blue) and pianist McCoy Tyner a few months before he joined John Coltrane's quintet. Open Sesame is one of those stunning Blue Note records where the musicians mesh and the tunes, arrangements and solos get as close to perfection as imaginable. This remastered version adds alternative takes of the two Tina Brooks tunes, "Open Sesame" and "Gypsy Blue", to the originally issued album.

CD Description
This album's title and cover welcome the listener to trumpeter Freddie Hubbard's initial outing as a bandleader, and it's a fine Blue Note debut. (Prior to this release, Hubbard had played with many East Coast jazz luminaries, most notablySonny Rollins and Eric Dolphy.) Recorded in 1960, OPEN SESAME features a stellar band that includes pianist McCoy Tynerand saxophonist Tina Brooks.
The swinging title track, penned by Brooks, showcases the horns, but it also allows therest of the band to get into a tight groove. The following tune finds the ensemble easing into Jimmy Van Heusen and Johnny Burke's classic ballad "But Beautiful", with Hubbard andTyner taking centre stage for much of the song. An outstanding first album, OPEN SESAME stands up to Hubbard's excellent latter-day recordings.

Customer Reviews

How about this for a debut!
Freddie Hubbard's first date as leader, and what a way to announce your arrival!! This is one of THE classic Blue Note recordings. Freddie is inventive, already in complete command of his horn, and playing memorable, satisfying, meaty themes. There's not a dull moment on the whole album and the RVG remastering is a total success. And whatever happened to Tina Brooks ? On this showing he must be one of the unsung heroes of jazz tenor. His playing here is superb, and he contributes two marvellous compositions... GYPSY BLUE is a gorgeous theme that Horace Silver would have been proud of. I know BLUE NOTE were busy with Mobley, Shorter, Dexter, and Turrentine, but it seems a shame that we have so little of Mr Brooks to savour. But we do have this very special, very satisfying slice of BLUE NOTE to savour, and it's worth every penny!!

Blazing Hubbard
A stunning showcase of Hubbard's talents. For someone so young this serves as an excellent taste of what he was to become. His ranging, harmonic and sometimes downright belligerant style has always entranced me. For me this is his greatest record as a leader, the younster setting out to show eveyone what he has to offer. This record is littered with those characteristic barnstorming solos and his ability of more subtle playing on,"But Beautiful." There's a bit of everything on this from the skipping, jumpy, Horace Silveresque,"Gypsy Blue," to the classy sophisticated,"One mint Julep." Tina Brook's title track really swings. Brook's career disappeared into nothing beacause of his heroin addiction, this record shows what a wasted talent he was both as a great sax player and composer. "Open Sesame," is also notable for the presence of a youthful Mycoy Tyner, who helps make everything tick along nicely although it is band leader Hubbard who steals the show.