Afro-Classic
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Album Summary
Hubert Laws laid down something truly special when he walked into the studio for CTI Records in 1970 and recorded 'Afro-Classic' — a record that would quietly announce to the world that the flute had arrived as a serious lead voice in jazz. Produced by the meticulous Creed Taylor, whose ears for sonic beauty were unmatched in the industry, the album bore all the hallmarks of CTI's signature high-fidelity aesthetic: lush orchestration, immaculate sound, and an atmosphere of refined elegance. Laws brought everything he had to those sessions — his formal classical training at Juilliard, his deep roots in jazz and R&B, and a flute technique that left musicians and listeners alike shaking their heads in disbelief. The result was a record that sat at the crossroads of two worlds and made that intersection feel like the most natural place on earth.
Reception
- Critics took notice of Laws's seamless ability to move between classical European composition and jazz improvisation, reinforcing his standing as one of the most technically gifted flutists the genre had ever seen.
- CTI Records' renowned production quality helped 'Afro-Classic' reach ears beyond the traditional jazz audience, drawing in listeners who were hungry for the jazz-classical crossover sound that was beginning to stir in the early 1970s.
- The album was regarded more as a bold artistic statement than a commercial breakthrough, earning Laws deepened critical respect during his formative years with CTI.
Significance
- 'Afro-Classic' stands as one of the earliest and most compelling examples of jazz-classical fusion on record, with Laws breathing jazz improvisation and soulful feeling into classical European forms in a way that helped legitimize the entire crossover movement.
- Laws's flute work throughout this album was nothing short of groundbreaking — he demonstrated that the flute could carry the full weight of complex classical material while never losing its jazz identity, and an entire generation of flutists would follow in that path.
- The album played a meaningful role in shaping the identity of CTI Records in its formative years, establishing the label's reputation for marrying sophisticated orchestral arrangements with jazz spontaneity in a way that would define CTI's sound across the decade.
Samples
- Fire And Rain — one of the most sampled tracks from the CTI catalog, with its flute melody and rhythm bed drawing the attention of hip-hop producers across multiple decades.
Tracklist
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A1 Fire And Rain —
7:55
-
A2 Allegro From Concerto #3 In D —
3:40
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A3 Theme From Love Story —
7:25
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B1 Passacaglia In C Minor —
15:10
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B2 Flute Sonata In F —
3:15
Artist Details
Hubert Laws is one of the most gifted flutists to ever grace this earth, a Houston-born Texas treasure who came up through the jazz world in the 1950s and 60s before carving out a stunning career that blended jazz, classical, R&B, and pop into something so refined and soulful it made you close your eyes and just *breathe*. His work throughout the 1970s — records like *Morning Star* and his stunning interpretations of classical pieces rearranged for the modern ear — put the flute on the map as a serious lead instrument in jazz and crossover music, earning him deep respect from cats like Quincy Jones, who featured him on countless sessions. Laws is a giant in the truest sense, a musician whose artistry bridged the worlds of Carnegie Hall and the soul charts, proving that beauty and brilliance don't have to live in separate rooms.
