Freddie Hubbard – Ready For Freddie

Was a little worried after reading some reviews. No noise on my copy. And fantastic mastering from Kevin Gray.

My copy sounds really good—no noise, clean, and flat. BN did a great job on this one

I'll add another voice to the praise. I had an early press that had some issues on certain tasks but was overall in very good condition. Compared to that, this is every bit as well mastered, if not often better. Mine has absolutely no pressing issues. Not a single pop or crackle to be heard. In my experience, these classic series are pressed at the sane level as the Tone Poets. I think Optimal has upped their game to be on par with RTI.

My copy is much more than “just ok”. For this price (13 Euros from hhv) its great actually… And the album is magnificent of course…

Another shitty pressing from Optimal. Several non-fills on side B. Trash again.

Such beautiful music! I wish that there that was someone (or anyone that is not HAL) in 'Universal Music Enterprise' that could check the editing (or just check things) before 'opening the pods gates' of this little gem to the public. For example Wayne "Sorter" in the third last paragraph is "Shorter" in my old copy. Maybe those 'old ones' (non-AI?) liked to refer to legends by their actual name?
The bonfiring-pyrotechnical 'Universal Music Enterprise' do not deserve this (or any) quality music.
Free Blue Note!

PS Crisis is an epic way to finish an epic album!

Is it me or everyone's having issues with these BN Classic pressings? I can't seem to land a single record without clicks, and this is after multiple ultrasonic cleaning.

Anyhow, music sounds great.

Sounds really good, overall, but missing the tunefulness of bass I'm used to hearing from the mid-70s "b"-label Hubbard compilation ("Crisis", for example). The bass reaches deep, and thumps, but is lacking its mid-bass. Not sure if this is an EQ decision or just the state of the master tapes in the post-2020s.

Also, the drums are eq'd too trebly for my taste.

I still enjoy this reissue, perfect pressing, no distortion, but highs & lows on the frequency spectrum leave me a bit cold.

Also got a copy with some terrible noise/mistakes in Side A Track 2. :(

This is one of Freddie's best, from a long list of excellent leader and sideman recordings. His playing is clean and technical with some gorgeous lyrical moments. Moreover, the arrangements are tight and exquisite, with very pleasant instrumentation, ie the euphonium adds a beautiful mellow bottom to the horn voicings. Wayne Shorter is a superstar here, mellifluous and slightly edgy. With all these horn superstars, it's easy to forget McCoy Tyner at the keys; he adds a forward leaning bent to the harmony here.
Elvin's drums are recorded beautifully, some of the best RVG-captured drums I've heard.

Truly a beautiful recording and excellent presentation here. The pressing is decent with the obvious improvement of Kevin Gray at the remaster. There's ghosting between tracks, but not bad.

5 stars. Recommended.