Freddie Hubbard's "Backlash" was originally recorded for Atlantic Records, but has been licensed to and reissued by the Koch label. Koch seems to specialize in putting out major label jazz on CD that the big boys don't want to touch because it won't sell well. (For another great Koch release, see my review of Johnny Coles' "The Warm Sound.") Hubbard left Blue Note in 1966 for a stint at Atlantic, before his successful run at CTI in the 70s. "Backlash" gives us a glimpse at the future lighter-side of Hubbard, with its calculated solos, and funky predictable riffs. It's almost as if this session is a conservative "Backlash" after the increasingly liberal, free-form experiments he made at Blue Note. (His last Blue Note album, "Blue Spirits" was a delightful combination of funky Sidewinder-like grooves, cranking Coltrane-esque post bop, and wild experimental avant-garde jazz, but sadly it is now out of print on CD.) Those who like Hubbard's CTI recordings will enjoy this effort, but those who adore his Blue Notes will be disappointed.

Freddie Hubbard is a legendary player and this is a nice effort. Songs like "Backlash" have a funky, laid-back feel to them, laced by nice piano and of course Freddie's amazing trumpet playing. My favorite track on here is definitely "On The Que-Tee", which is a classic uptempo track with a great theme. Also, "Little Sunflower" has a nice, laid-back feel to it, but as the other reviewer mentioned it won't bore you. A great album for a laid-back listener. "Echoes Of Blue" is also a great way to end the album, it's a slower song as well, and has more of a funky feel to it than the rest of the songs. There are also some flutes in this song. It's really a shame that Freddie Hubbard is no longer able to play (he blew out his upper lip from playing too much in 1992) because he was definitely one of the most talented jazz trumpet players. His range is outstanding. This record is worth buying for sure, there are not many trumpet players in jazz with Freddie's technical ability.