Tenor saxophonist nicknamed “The Professor” due to his knowledge and mastery of composing, arranging, and phrasing. “I actually started to jam at the Local #543 A.F. of M. Union Hall, from there it was every club I could find. I grew up with Gary Bartz and we used to practice and jam at both our houses. I played at every club that ever opened on Pennsylvania Avenue including the Comedy Club, the Sphinx Club and the Royal Theatre. I joined Jazz Unlimited which was an organization of all the jazz musicians and later the Left Bank Jazz Society. Some of the other clubs included the North End Lounge, Lenny Moore’s, and the Bridge Club near Coppin State College… there were many others. “
As for membership in named groups Dave explained that “in those days we just took the name of whoever got the gig/concert, for example the Dave Hubbard Quintet, Ethel Ennis Quartet, Reppard Stone Sextet, Ruby Glover Quintet, etc. It was like freelance but usually with some of the same core of players.” Dave played with a virtual ‘who’s who’ of jazz musicians in Baltimore. An early ‘60s group included Dave with Gary Bartz (sax), Carl Adams (trumpet), Mickey Bass (bass), Lonnie Liston Smith (piano), and Joe Chambers (drums). A 1966 Baltimore Sun feature noted the Dave Hubbard Trio with John McCraw (piano), and Jerome McCardell (drums).
In addition to local gigs, he was offered a seat in Maxine Brown’s touring band in 1960. Through the years he also toured and performed with Ray Charles, Ethel Ennis, Patti LaBelle, Charles Earland, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Lonnie Liston Smith & the Cosmic Echoes, George Benson, and many others.
After earning a B.A. in music from Morgan State University he moved to New York and, ultimately worldwide, where he performed extensively and continued to develop his sound now known as jazz fusion. Venues in New York included Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, The Village Vanguard, The Village Gate, Fat Tuesdays, The Halfnote, Minton’s Playhouse, The Bluenote, Count Basie’s…
Dave’s first album on Mainstream Records recorded in New York featured Jimmy Rowser (bass), Buck Clarke (conga), Albert Dailey (piano), and Harold White (drums). His original music and studio work can be heard on over fifty record releases including those by Dr. Lonnie Smith, Les McCann, Ivan Boogaloo Joe Jones, Melvin Sparks, Leon Spencer, Charles Earland, George Freeman, Lonnie Liston Smith, Irene Reid, Don Payne…
Regarding Hubbard’s 1985 album “Labor of Love,” George Benson wrote “He appeared on one of my earlier quartets along with Lonnie Smith, who also lends his slick musical talents to this project. Although Dave could always play, he shows growth both in his mastery over the reed and woodwind instruments. His tone is bigger than ever and his ideas flow throughout the album. It’s one of the best soprano sounds I’ve heard yet. The music is very interesting and modern. But then again how could it be anything else with Dave Hubbard at the wheel?”
In the ‘00s Dave continued performing with combos and teaching music in southern Florida.
A selected Dave Hubbard discography:
1971(LP) Mainstream 317 Dave Hubbard
1971(45) Mainstream 5515 Respect Yourself
1985(LP) Chelsea Live at Chelsea Place
1985(LP) Sybarite Labor of Love
1993(CD) Mystic Lady
2002(CD) DeBeDe Groovin’ with Dave Hubbard
