Known for his virtuosic technique and intense sound, Hubbard majorly impacted the scene throughout the whole bebop to post-bop era. In the 1960s, he played alongside Ornette Coleman and John Coltrane, embracing the advent of free jazz. Commercially, Hubbard found his biggest success in the jazz-funk era of the 1970s, showcasing a new popular sound on records like “Sky Dive” and “Red Clay”, and joining the V.S.O.P. supergroup. In 2006, Freddie Hubbard received the highest honour in jazz, the NEA Jazz Masters award.