Freddie Hubbard released
The Black Angel in the same year as the landmark
Miles Davis album Bitches Brew. Its obvious Hubbard wanted to appeal to the emerging crossover rock/jazz crowd of the era. The presence of bop, however, still permeated
Hubbard's playing, unlike
Miles who had long since dropped the form. The opening
Hubbard composition "Spacetrack" contains fiery avant garde interplay between
Hubbard,
James Spaulding on alto and
Kenny Barron's electric piano. Thanks to
Spaulding and bassist
Reggie Workman, much of the playing here maintains intensity. The other
Hubbard penned originals, "Gittin Down" is an urgent hard swinging boogaloo and the ballad "Eclipse" features
Spaulding on flute and
Barron on piano. "Coral Keys" written by
Walter Bishop, Jr. and
Barron's "Black Angel have a Latin tinge highlighted by
Spaulding's soaring flute and the congas of
Carlos "Patato" Valdes. An enjoyable session leaving the impression
Hubbard was preparing to take a different musical direction. ~ Al Campbell