Listening to Jam Gems: Freddie Hubbard and Jimmy Health “Live”
at the Left Bank, with a super- enthusiastic Left Bank Jazz Society audience
testifying volubly throughout is good for what ails you, COVID-19 or not. I own
several albums of LBJS material and wish that more were available. Jam Gems
is pretty much all Freddie and Jimmy, although Wilbur Little, Bertell Knox, and
Gus Simms provide solid rhythm support. Hubbard had amazing chops and a
fearless attack, out to flamboyant use on this date, and Heath is, if anything,
even more impressive (in the liner notes, he says “I took some of my longest recorded
solos”). I’ve included the first track (All Members) and a link to the
entire album of up-tempo killer tracks. Even Lover Man is more burner than
torch song. Kick back and enjoy, and thank you, Baltimore!
