Bobby Hutcherson - Still At It

[Guest bluenote82]

Biography by Steve Huey

Easily one of jazz's greatest vibraphonists, Bobby Hutcherson epitomized his instrument in relation to the era in which he came of age the way Lionel Hampton did with swing or Milt Jackson with bop. He isn't as well-known as those two forebears, perhaps because he started out in less-accessible territory when he emerged in the '60s playing cerebral, challenging modern jazz that often bordered on avant-garde. Along with Gary Burton, the other seminal vibraphone talent of the '60s, Hutcherson helped modernize his instrument by redefining what could be done with it — sonically, technically, melodically, and emotionally. In the process, he became one of the defining (if underappreciated) voices in the so-called "new thing" portion of Blue Note's glorious '60s roster. Hutcherson gradually moved into a more mainstream, modal post-bop style that, if not as adventurous as his early work, still maintained his reputation as one of the most advanced masters of his instrument.

Bobby Hutcherson was born January 27, 1941, in Los Angeles. He studied piano with his aunt as a child, but didn't enjoy the formality of the training; still, he tinkered with it on his own, especially since his family was already connected to jazz: His brother was a high school friend of Dexter Gordon and his sister was a singer who later dated Eric Dolphy. Everything clicked for Hutcherson during his teen years when he heard a Milt Jackson record; he worked until he saved up enough money to buy his own set of vibes. He began studying with Dave Pike and playing local dances in a group led by his friend, bassist Herbie Lewis. After high school, Hutcherson parlayed his growing local reputation into gigs with Curtis Amy and Charles Lloyd and in 1960, he joined an ensemble co-led by Al Grey and Billy Mitchell. In 1961, the group was booked at New York's legendary Birdland club and Hutcherson wound up staying on the East Coast after word about his inventive four-mallet playing started to spread. Hutcherson was invited to jam with some of the best up-and-coming musicians in New York: hard boppers like Grant Green, Hank Mobley, and Herbie Hancock, but most importantly, forward-thinking experimentalists like Jackie McLean, Grachan Moncur III, Archie Shepp, Andrew Hill, and Eric Dolphy. Through those contacts, Hutcherson became an in-demand sideman at recording sessions, chiefly for Blue Note.

Hutcherson had a coming-out party of sorts on McLean's seminal "new thing" classic One Step Beyond (1963), providing an unorthodox harmonic foundation in the piano-less quintet. His subsequent work with Dolphy was even more groundbreaking and his free-ringing, open chords and harmonically advanced solos were an important part of Dolphy's 1964 masterwork Out to Lunch. That year, he won the DownBeat readers' poll as Most Deserving of Wider Recognition on his instrument. Hutcherson's first shot as a leader came with 1965's Dialogue, a classic of modernist post-bop with a sextet featuring some of the hottest young talent on the scene — most notably Freddie Hubbard, Sam Rivers, and Andrew Hill, although drummer Joe Chambers would go on to become a fixture on Hutcherson's '60s records (and often contributed some of the freest pieces he recorded). A series of generally excellent sessions followed over the next few years, highlighted by 1965's classic Components (which showcased both the free and straight-ahead sides of Hutcherson's playing) and 1966's Stick-Up! In 1967, he returned to Los Angeles and started a quintet co-led by tenor saxophonist Harold Land, which made its recording debut the following year on Total Eclipse. Several more sessions followed (Spiral, Medina, Now) that positioned the quintet about halfway in between free bop and mainstream hard bop — advanced territory, but not entirely fashionable at the time. Thus, the group didn't really receive its due and dissolved in 1971.

By that point, Hutcherson was beginning a brief flirtation with mainstream fusion, which produced 1970s funky but still sophisticated San Francisco (named after his new base of operations). By 1973, however, he'd abandoned that direction, returning to modal bop and forming a new quintet with trumpeter Woody Shaw that played at that summer's Montreux Jazz Festival (documented on Live at Montreux). In 1974, he re-teamed with Land and over the next few years, he continued to record cerebral bop dates for Blue Note despite being out of step with the label's more commercial direction. He finally departed in 1977 and signed with Columbia, where he recorded three albums from 1978-1979 (highlighted by Un Poco Loco). Adding the marimba to his repertoire, Hutcherson remained active throughout the '80s as both a sideman and leader, recording most often for Landmark in a modern-mainstream bop mode. He spent much of the '90s touring rather than leading sessions; in 1993, he teamed with McCoy Tyner for the duet album Manhattan Moods. Toward the end of the decade, Hutcherson signed on with Verve, for whom he debuted in 1999 with the well-received Skyline.

Article taken from All Music Guide.

How do all of you guys feel about Bobby's output as a leader? Have you all heard "For Sentimental Reasons" on Kind Of Blue Records? That was a fantastic album! I have almost everything Bobby has ever done.

Edited February 23, 2008 by bluenote82

[BFrank]

I think you'll find a lot of Bobby fans here. There are quite a number of threads about him that you might look through, although none are as general as this one.

[AndrewHill]

Hutch fan. His Blue Note output, esp his 60's rec's, ranks as one of the most impressive bodies of work in modern jazz.

[Aggie87]

There are quite a number of threads about him that you might look through

Thanks BF!

And I'd suggest that the poster add to the existing threads - or at least be courteous and try to check them before starting new ones.

[marcello]

Joe Locke and Bobby Hutcherson at Jazz Baltica

[Guest bluenote82]

Anybody have any favorite Hutcherson compositions? Mine will always be "Little B's Poem," "Subtle Neptune," "Aquarian Moon," "Mirrors," and "Bouquet." All are such great tunes.

[Free For All]

There are quite a number of threads about him that you might look through

Thanks BF!

And I'd suggest that the poster add to the existing threads - or at least be courteous and try to check them before starting new ones.

This concept seems to be falling on deaf ears, fellas..........

[Bright Moments]

[montg]

Anybody have any favorite Hutcherson compositions? Mine will always be "Little B's Poem," "Subtle Neptune," "Aquarian Moon," "Mirrors," and "Bouquet." All are such great tunes.

hutch blue note years

[blajay]

All the other Bobby Hutcherson threads I could find were about his specific albums, not about the man, himself. I saw him last night with Charlie Haden and George Cables. The show was great, although I would have liked if they'd strayed a bit more from the standards.

Anyway, I was really concerned about Hutcherson. He had a lot of trouble breathing, maybe from Emphysema or really bad Asthma. I don't know. He had to leave the stage a couple times, and when time came for an encore, instead of playing, they just came out and bowed again. It definitely seemed like it was due to his health concerns. That was the early show after two previous nights, so maybe it all just took a toll. I can't believe they played another set. He performed really well of course with great energy when he was on stage, but it definitely had me concerned. Maybe this is innappropriate gossip, and I don't mean to cause major alarm, but as a community that loves him, I thought people would care to know. The good news is that George Cables seemed healthy as a horse! They all played beautifully.

[clifford_thornton]

I hope Hutch is doing okay. Thanks for the report.

[sidewinder]

Yeah, hope all is OK. Sounds like it might be asthma. Great to hear that George is back in action !

[MartyJazz]

Joe Locke and Bobby Hutcherson at Jazz Baltica

I've loved Hutch for many a year, love the Blue Notes, and have seen him live several times, most notably at the Vanguard in '79 where he truly smoked. Got to see Locke two years ago down here at Nova University when he appeared in a quartet he co-led with Geoff Keezer and he was stupendously impressive. Thanks for the link. Great!

Edited June 11, 2009 by MartyJazz

[marcello]

Joe Locke and Bobby Hutcherson at Jazz Baltica

I've loved Hutch for many a year, love the Blue Notes, and have seen him live several times, most notably at the Vanguard in '79 where he truly smoked. Got to see Locke two years ago down here at Nova University when he appeared in a quartet he co-led with Geoff Keezer and he was stupendously impressive. Thanks for the link. Great!

So you were the one that was there!

Here's that group at Jazz Baltica:

Edited June 11, 2009 by marcello

[CJ Shearn]

You can hear Hutch's belabored breathing on "I Thought About You" On Joey D's "Organic Vibes" but I think it's b/c he sings a lot when he plays.