Speak No Evil

The 1964–66 Blue Note period was when Wayne ShorterWayne Shorterウェイン・ショーター's compositional voice matured rapidly. On Night DreamerNight DreamerWayne Shorter · 1964 and Speak No EvilSpeak No EvilWayne Shorter · 1966 he established his signature 'mysterious beauty' language. Lee MorganLee Morganリー・モーガン, McCoy TynerMcCoy Tynerマッコイ・タイナー, and Elvin JonesElvin Jonesエルヴィン・ジョーンズ brought it to life.

Speak No EvilSpeak No EvilWayne Shorter · 1966 (December 1964) is widely cited as Wayne ShorterWayne Shorterウェイン・ショーター's Blue Note masterpiece. Freddie HubbardFreddie Hubbardフレディ・ハバード in the front line, three Second Great Quintet members (Herbie HancockHerbie Hancockハービー・ハンコック, Ron CarterRon Carterロン・カーター), plus Elvin JonesElvin Jonesエルヴィン・ジョーンズ — a dream lineup.

The bass intro that defines Freddie Hubbard's Red Clay (1970) wasn't Hubbard's — bassist Ron Carter invented it on the spot because Freddie never brought the part. "Luckily, the right note hit at the right time," Carter said. The hook that became the song's signature was an improvisation forced by a missing chart.

Through the CTI years, beneath Freddie Hubbard's glittering trumpet it was Ron Carter's bass holding the floor — 1970's Straight Life among them. Hubbard's last relayed message was that he was sorry he never got to tell people how many times Ron saved his ass in the studio. The star naming the sideman as his lifeline.