Jazz Legend Dies At Age 70

Freddie Hubbard's style has been depicted as having influenced generations of trumpet players as well as being used in collaborations with such greats as Ornette Coleman, John Coltrane, Herbie Hancock, Art Blakely, McCoy Tyner and Sonny Rollins.

The jazz legend passed away at Sherman Oaks Hospital stated his manager, friend and fellow trumpeter David Weiss of the New Jazz Composers Octet. Hubbard had been hospitalized after suffering a heart attack nearly a month before.

Although suffering from ill health for some time, Hubbard was still performing his unique style of jazz up to a few months ago. He was known for his melodic style as well as the sheer intensity of his playing. His last concert was in June at a New York party celebrating the release of his final album.

During his immense career, Hubbard contributed to hundreds or recordings dating back to 1958 when he first arrived in New York from his hometown of Indianapolis. Hubbard studied at the Arthur Jordan Conservatory of Music as well as with the Indianapolis Symphony.

His hard work and creativity was rewarded with a Grammy in 1972 for best jazz performance by a group for the album First Light and a National Endowment for the Arts' Jazz Masters Award in 2006, the nations highest jazz honor.

"He influenced all the trumpet players that came after him," Wynton Marsalis, a fellow musician and trumpeter told The Associated Press earlier this year. "Certainly I listened to him a lot. ... We all listened to him. He has a big sound and a great sense of rhythm and time and really the hallmark of his playing is an exuberance. His playing is exuberant."

A New York memorial and tribute for the heavily influential jazz musician is being planned. Freddie Hubbard's upbeat and creative styling will be surely missed.