Red Clay is the title track and opening piece of Freddie Hubbard’s 1970 jazz fusion album Red Clay. Recorded January 27-29, 1970 at Van Gelder Studio in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, the 12-minute track helped define Hubbard’s move into soul-jazz fusion on Creed Taylor’s CTI label. The performance features Joe Henderson on tenor sax, Herbie Hancock on electric piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Lenny White on drums, blending hard bop blues with a funky, 70s groove. It opens with a modal 4/4 refrain and unfolds into extended improvisation that became Hubbard’s signature tune and a touchstone of the CTI sound.
