"Straight Life" was the follow-up album to Freddie Hubbard's fairly successful debut at CTI, "Red Clay", which had been 10 months ago added. We stayed with the formula for success, especially when filling with Joe Henderson (ts), Herbie Hancock (p, el-p), Ron Carter (b) plus time nor George Benson (g) and Jack DeJohnette (drums) plus two additional percussionists : The last three inferior together a funky rhythm carpet. The music sounds amazingly, today after 40 years still not so terrible 70s zeitgeist like so many other LP, basically it's hard bop maxed to the extreme and rhythmically a bit adapted to the time. Freddie Hubbard's trumpet playing is powerful to rupture, resulting in one bite. Joe Henderson fits perfectly to it, and in Herbie Hancock it would not have needed the electric pianos, that's all also went well acoustically, but as I said, in 1970, who wanted as even still play acoustic piano. While "Straight Life" and "Mr. Clean" are two strong fetzende macho pieces, is "Here's That Rainy Day" a complete contrast: A beautiful ballad, only trumpet, guitar and bass. Herrlich.
