MADELEINE BRAND, Host:
Now, some sad news from the jazz world. Trumpeter Freddie Hubbard died yesterday in Los Angeles after complications from a heart attack. As a young musician, Freddie Hubbard earned wide critical praise for his gifted technical play and his spontaneity.
ALEX COHEN, Host:
In the 1960s, Freddie Hubbard landed gigs on some of the most influential jazz albums including John Coltrane's "Ascension" and Herbie Hancock's "Empyrian Aisles."
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COHEN: Freddie Hubbard was born in Indianapolis in 1938. He moved to New York City and was hailed as one of jazz music's brightest new stars. Hubbard was barely in his 20s when he began performing with jazz giants Sonny Rollins and Slide Hampton.
BRAND: By the 1970s, Freddie Hubbard was a jazz celebrity. He joined Miles Davis in experimenting with pop and electronic elements. His famous intensity on the trumpet only eased when he split his lip. It was an injury that crippled Hubbard's playing. But he had already made his mark. And in 2006, Freddie Hubbard was honored with a Jazz Masters Award from the National Endowment for the Arts.
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COHEN: Jazz trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, he died yesterday. He was 70 years old. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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