OUT OF THE HUB: THE MUSIC OF FREDDIE HUBBARD
OUT OF THE HUB (ONE OF ANOTHER KIND)
music by Freddie Hubbard; lyrics by Evan Pittson
Come aboard a fantasy ride through lands, sight unseen
All’s approved for souls loved by nature, all those who’ve been
One of a kind, we’re sentient, soulful beings that are of another kind,
One of another mind
Out of the Hub are primal memories - instincts long - gone from time - the real deal
Far beyond this path into darkness, mindful of will
There it lies through moss, vines and ivy, mammothly still
One of a kind, unending spiral dangers that are of another kind,
And as the surface shined
Out of the Hub are sonic memories - swingin’ hard, - groovin’ high, - the real deal
Yes today, the dawn of tomorrow, lead all the way
But the future must be the light, let time have the say
One of a kind, are from the future, having space and time and life to find,
One of another mind
Out of the Hub are heartbeats not yet heard - this is it - the real deal - as it feels
© 2008 JP Publishing
BRIGHT SUN (LAMENT FOR BOOKER)
music by Freddie Hubbard; lyrics by Suzanne Pittson
Vocalese lyric is based on Freddie Hubbard’s solo from the 1962 recording “Hub-Tones”
Valves ablaze, the bright sun of the horn,
Hearing the sound in every part of the form.
Always thinking, thinking about the song
And playing it at every moment
Giving us all the strength to carry on.
From his idols of the past - Clifford Brown, Fats and Diz,
Full of respect, though the language was his.
Never to think, who could see that his spirit would
fly free at the age of 23,
Will you tell me, “How can that be?”
The golden horn, the edge of innovation.
He played with scalar exhilaration.
Pushing past the last generation,
Gone way too soon to hear the veneration.
Though Booker he may be gone,
But the beauty of his song will live on.
Giving his soul with the light of each dawn.
He gave so much in so little time,
And his music sang out so sublime.
He gave us more than most within a single lifetime.
VOCALESE – Freddie’s solo:
Prince of sound,
Hearing tears that fell out of a golden valved bell
Shining out in the sunlight as pearls
Knowing his mind but always playing his heart
Finding a new and sensuous part
Elevating his art
That he could impart
And many an artist understands and knows the
path is rarely kind or gentle to the soul who
dedicates each hour of everyday,
Finding a new way that no one can see right away.
Yet despite the pain he played with style and elegance and grace
And all those lucky, unsuspecting followers each got their infusion and encouragement and even a
renewal of faith.
Sages teach us to respect the dignity of those who sweat to pave the way.
So many hours
Within the tunnel of intention
And searching for the perfect note to change the world and make the pain go away.
They’re always looking for the ray of hope that shines to lift up and inspire and takes away the gnawing in the soul, and tells the person yes go on and live and try to make another person happy too!
Taking the time to see the glow of life and finding our meaning of existence in this wide world of ours.
Mystic is the sound that builds a castle of peace within the hearts of those who seek to hear its beauty.
The struggle it goes on
To say our say
And have our day
In the sun
Any way, today.
We start a new no matter what our shade of blue is,
Feeling that our soul is spent
And overdue
Even with the blues
Naturally I can smile because the struggle’s worthwhile
Feeling the music is growing and leaping
The cats will be dealing
The groove so appealing
The joy of the scene is like Bird in a dream
It’s like nothing that you’ve seen before or since….
Following footsteps of our heroes,
We can hear them chuckling ‘cause we tried to share their vision of the music for the children yet to come,
‘Cause after the song the healing must continue.
Find a friend that’s filled with pain
And give that friend the strength to try again once more for the future.
In our memory
Immortal bright sun of the horn
Is playing on,
Beyond the song,
Never gone.
© 2008 JP Publishing
TRUE VISIONS (TRUE COLORS)
music by Freddie Hubbard; lyrics by Suzanne, Jeff and Evan Pittson
Once I couldn’t see
The jewel
Right in front of me!
I want eternity!
I was looking , never seeing
Always wanting another being…
Seeing is believing
But my faith is test of strength
Will I ever win?
Will my eyes betray me?
Look at the moon
Cool and bright
Beam in the night!
Once I used to hear
That voice
A little nagging choice…
It doesn’t mean a thing!
When your soul arrives in fullness
And your heart beats with a purpose
Hiding from your dream is like a broadcast of fearfulness,
a thousand shades of gray!
Don’t let them tell you
It’s no use, cut ‘em loose, no excuse!
Once I didn’t know
How deep
The sonic waters flow!
On my voyage I must go!
Many ports of call are waiting…
Many treasures for the taking…
Playing with the rapture of a soul in
exuberance, ecstatic and sublime
Scaling ever higher…
Spiritually bound! Glorious sound! Beauty is found!
© 2008 JP Publishing
WE’RE HAVING A CRISIS (CRISIS)
music by Freddie Hubbard; lyrics by Suzanne Pittson
Vocalese lyric is based on Freddie Hubbard’s solo from the 1961 recording
“Mosaic” by Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers
Let me go – close the door
My love can’t endure
The tears and the pain
We’re havin’ a crisis, this thing’s in a crisis
I was lost in your eyes
Deceived by your lies
That torment my mind
We’re havin’ a crisis, this thing’s in a crisis
Well I never could imagine just how bad true love could be!
Did my dreams turn to schemes to make me perceive reality?
If my heart leads the way
I’m destined to stay
Don’t I have a say
We’re havin’ a crisis, this thing’s in a crisis
VOCALESE – Freddie’s solo:
Never dreamed that in this lifetime I could ever find a man who’s so appealing.
Swept me off my feet with just a glance and talk of music and love made my heart start to sing.
How I felt the beauty inside me come to life.
Finally, I could be just the me I longed to be
At last I was flying free.
Then before too long I came to the realization that this paradigm of hope and love and perfect co-existence wasn’t really anything that fit into my model of perfection.
I can never be afraid of what to do, what to think, what to say, what to feel!
What’s the deal? This is so surreal,
Don’t “homo loquens” have the capability to speak the truth?
I have learned that people nowadays
Turn their backs on love and understanding and the power of their words to uplift the human soul.
Treasures of the heart must abound
Human justice cannot function without understanding through the power of words
Words to breed equality
And spirituality
No matter what crisis comes I must confront this demon that violates the dignity of life
Now’s the time to make a plea for all humanity to stop and see eternity,
Awaken to the truth that just a single human being has power within their own heart to change the world!
Well I never could imagine just how bad our world could be!
Can our dreams be the means to help us believe in humanity?
Let our hearts lead the way
And go seize the day
Let’s all have a say!
We’re havin’ a crisis, our world’s in a crisis
We’re havin’ a crisis, our world’s in a crisis
LOST AND FOUND (THE MELTING POT)
music by Freddie Hubbard; lyrics by Suzanne, Jeff and Evan Pittson
I was discontent
All alone inside a sad lament
Working hard to make another cent
Was my hourglass completely out of time?
Through the misty haze
Unexpectedly I saw your face
And I felt another state of grace
When you opened up the treasures in my mind.
From restless complications I was searching, seeking
Exploring through this new world
I couldn’t write the final story but it will be mine to state
A rebirth in a new land with a destiny to make and so
I’m Lost and found
On a journey into hallowed ground
Always looking for another sound
And awakening the mys’tries yet to find.
© 2008 JP Publishing
LIKE A BYRD (BYRD LIKE)
music by Freddie Hubbard; lyrics by Suzanne Pittson
INTRO:
Like a byrd, like a flame
We all know his name
Him and Dizzy, top of the game
(Don’t you know) He played all the things you wanted to play
Told a story only the man with the horn could say
Determination seemed to carry him away
HEAD:
Flyin’ like the byrd, we’ll spread the word
Life is so full of wonder
Make up your mind to get it!
No matter what the chains of destiny holds
Victory unfolds
In time, you’ll find
That like the byrd you’ll spread your wings and take to the sky
© 2008 JP Publishing