FREDDIE HUBBARD: MMTC (Monk, Miles, Trane & Cannon)

With MMTC, the rock-solid torchbearer Freddie Hubbard pays tribute to his illustrious influences. With a tight and reverent ensemble of hot young players behind him, Hubbard delivers eight uncompromising classics, mixing his own compositions with those of Coltrane, Monk, and Davis. There's also the tender "Song My Lady Sings," by Charles Lloyd, the echo of a live '60s recording by Cannonball Adderley. Hubbard fires through a charged tempo in Coltrane's "Naima," showcasing the talents of his young accomplices, among them Javon Jackson on tenor saxophone and Vincent Herring on alto. The tunes penned by Hubbard, "Spirit of Trane," "One of a Kind," "Monk," and "Cannon" demonstrate a deep understanding of each of these legendary figures. This effort was recorded in 1995 and is, in a sense, a collaboration of the best three generations of jazz have to offer.