Freddie Hubbard: Red Clay (1970)

Jazz purists prefer to remember Hubbard for his Art Blakey sideman days or his Blue Note performances, but his work for Creed Taylors CTI label has held up well with the passing years. Red Clay finds Hubbard testing the waters of the jazz-rock fusion style, so popular in the early 1970s. The trumpeter never enjoyed the crossover success of Herbie Hancock (who joins on electric piano here), but his fiery trumpet stylings made him a natural for the jazz-rock genre. The band is top-notch, the groove is irresistible, and Hubbard, 31 years old when he made this date, was at the peak of his powers.