Eric Dolphy Music

While I certainly don't buy the review panning this CD, I can't really subscribe to the Amazon review's breathless praise either. I was very excited when the CD originally came out and bought it shortly after its release. After repeated listenings, I feel it's a mild disappointment, but it's certainly of high musical quality and of more than simple historical interest.

The obvious interest -- aside from the mere fact that it was a new Dolphy release -- lay in the surprising pairing of Dolphy with Hancock. The two had very different musical styles; Hancock, at 23, fit very easily into the Blue Note mainstream, post-bop stable, while Dolphy was one of jazz's most controversial figures, lionized by some and lambasted by others.

I think one of the reviewers criticized the quality of the recording. I don't agree with that, but I do think that the arrangements were muddled, and in general the concert, for me anyway, generates far less excitement than the "Live at the Five Spot" recordings Dolphy made with Booker Little, Ed Blackwell, Richard Davis and Mal Waldron.

I also feel that there are better "takes" of some of the tunes on other Dolphy releases. For example, the solo "God Bless the Child" was a standard for him and I don't hear much that's new in this performance. For me, the essential performance of that tune was on the old Prestige twofer "Copenhagen Concert," and nothing in this performance adds to that one. "Red Planet," recorded by Coltrane under the title "Miles' Mode," has a drifting sound that is disconcerting for me when I compare it to the urgency of the Coltrane version. But that aside, Dolphy played this tune often with Coltrane and with greater power and lyricism than he displays here. The Amazon review seemed particularly knocked out by "Softly in a Morning Sunrise," but for me it's an avant-garde approach to a tune that really doesn't lend itself to it. The simple lyricism of the original is lost and the arrangement has a meandering quality to it that doesn't engage me.

As for the pairing with Hancock, the difficulty is that while each player has his share of wonderful moments, stylistically they don't quite mesh for me. Hancock's strength then -- and now -- lay in his ability to seemingly suspend time with his floating chords and feathery right-hand touch. Dolphy's tone, even on flute, was biting, his approach fiery and intense. Finding a pianist to accompany him was difficult -- he sometimes recorded without one -- and Hancock's subtle backing gets lost at times when Dolphy is searing through a solo.

If you're a big Dolphy fan, by all means pick up the CD. You'll find plenty of moments of inspiration. If you're beginning to build your collection, however, I'd get the live Five Spot releases and the studio sessions that provided some of the material for this concert, including "Last Date" and "Iron Man."

Since I was a student in attendance at these events, I was at first incredulous to learn that a recording had been released nearly 40 years later. Dolphy has become somewhat of a cult figure among young listeners, and my familiarity with the circumstances of the recording has even "put me in good" with my son. Eric's stay was a two-day affair during which he performed with the jazz band, participated in a panel discussion and, most notably, gave a concert with the rhythm section he had brought for the occasion. The Illinois campus at that time was witness to an explosion of young musical talent (Cecil Bridgewater, Ron DeWar, Donny Heitler, Jim Knapp, Kim Richmond, Fred Atwood, George Marsh), so Dolphy was pretty much assured of an attentive and appreciative audience. He was extremely polite, affable, and I think quite flattered to be the featured "star" under such circumstances.

As for the concert itself, I was struck by the degree to which Hancock (who looked all of 18) appeared to be the man in charge, even though the piano was undermiked and difficult to hear (the previous reviewer's reference to his smooth, "feathery" touch is very much on target). Therefore, it's a revelation to hear the prominence of the instrument on this recording which, if anything, foregrounds the sound of the piano ahead of Dolphy's bass clarinet. Herbie's solos and accompaniment are free form and polytonal but at the same time curiously unengaging, especially in the company of Moses and Khan (whatever happened to this strong, gifted bassist?). The latter two would have been excellent stand-ins in a 1950s Miles Davis group, whereas Herbie, with the exception of his tendency here to fill too much of the space, clearly anticipates the abstract style that would be the hallmark of Miles' 1960s quintet.

As for Dolphy himself, he lives up to the legend, once again demonstrating that on bass clarinet he was and is without peer. Particularly striking is his ability to construct "antiphonal" solos, using the lowest register of the instrument to create intricate statements that are followed instantly by counterstatements in the altissimo register. And when he has an opportunity to play an unaccompanied cadenza, the effect is so "tonal" as to be stunning.

Within months of the Champaign-Urbana concert, I went to McKee's Show Lounge on Chicago's south side to catch Coltrane. Since there was no room for a piano on the small bandstand inside the bar area, John had brought Dolphy along as a replacement for McCoy Tyner. If only some recording of that session would suddenly materialize!

My rating of this recording is admittedly a trifle inflated, unless you're an Eric Dolphy fan, a bass clarinetist--or in my case, one of life's much-traveled pilgrims surprised once again at running into his past.

Given the brevity of Eric Dolphy's career, and the small number of albums released under his own name during his lifetime, it's not surprising that posthumously-issued live recordings form a considerable chunk of the reedsman's titanic legacy. Many such offerings are of bootleg quality, poorly recorded and/or edited, while others feature somewhat lacklustre performances as Dolphy tries to find common ground with one of the many pick-up rhythm sections with which he played.
This makes THE ILLINOIS CONCERT an even more welcome and important find than it would be otherwise. Superbly recorded for the most part, and featuring primarily Dolphy's own works, this 1963 performance also finds the leader in the invigorating and sympathetic company of his true musical peers.
With bassist Eddie Khan and drummer JC Moses, who would soon play on Dolphy's envelope-pushing "Iron Man" sessions, holding things together, there's no poking around for a beat here. Even more significantly, THE ILLINIOS CONCERT is one of only two known recordings featuring Dolphy's sometime pianist Herbie Hancock, then in the first glow of his own jazz celebrity and soon to join Miles Davis - and therefore necessarily un-join Dolphy - as a full-time sideman. If this sounds like a formidable foursome, it is, and one extremely well-matched to the material at hand.
That material opens with a twenty-minute evisceration of "Softly as in a Morning Sunrise," featuring Dolphy's spine-tingling bass clarinet work, then segues through a brief segment of "Something Sweet, Something Tender" (Dolphy's own composition, which he would record a year later on OUT TO LUNCH) and the inevitable solo "God Bless the Child." Switching to flute, the Maestro tackles another original number, "South Street Exit," which unfortunately suffers from insufficient miking and therefore serves as more of a showcase for the rhythm section than the leader himself. "Iron Man," here in its developmental stage, brings in Dolphy's blistering alto saxophone for the finale of the quartet segment, after which a full orchestra joins the group for two more Dolphy classics, "Red Planet" (a.k.a. "Miles' Mode") and "GW." Both are handled quite well, and provide interesting examples of Dolphy's underexplored scoring skills as well as his evergreen sax chops.
Apart from the 1961 Five Spot concert and 1964's mistitled LAST DATE, I can't think of another live Dolphy recording which manages to attain a finer balance of material, players and ("South Street Exit" excepted) sound quality than this one. Highly recommended and, dare I say it, damned good!

An excellent CD overall. I didn't have any problem with the recording quality- Blue Note did a passable job remastering. Not spectacular, mind you, but all the instruments are audible and able to be clearly heard and differentiated. It was far better than I had expected from reading the online reviews. The material itself is well performed, and Dolphy, as always, is incendiary on any of his instruments. If you don't have any other live Dolphy, this is a particularly interesting set to start with. I hadn't expected Herbie Hancock's presence to be as significant as it is, but Hancock lends the quartet a pile driving forward momentum. His accompaniment and solos and inspired throughout, and the rhythm section is talented enough to give the Dolphy/Hancock duo a base to jump into their affecting avant-swing.

This album is one of the best I have ever heard. If all musicians had the same shameless approach as the musicians on this recording the world would be a wonderful place. The flute may not cut through on 'South Street Exit' but the energy of the performance more than makes up for it. So what if the recording qaulity isn't top notch, that is of secondary importance. I would rather listen to some poorly recorded Dolphy than some nicely recorded Metheny.Anyone who gave this one star must like Johnny Lang or something. A must have.

If you're looking for the next best thing (in a similar genre) to "Out to Lunch," then search no further. Here you can clearly hear that Dolphy's style of both playing and composing was developing towards the music on the before mentioned legendary Blue Note recording that took place less than a year later.
Dolphy plays all his instruments with great skill as usual - alto sax, bass-clarinet and flute.

Musicians featured on the title track, "Mandrake" and "Burning Spear" are Eddie Kahn (bass,) J.C. Moses (drums,) Bobby Hutcherson (vibes,) Prince Lasha (flute,) Clifford Jordan (soprano sax,) Huey Simmons (alto sax) and Woody Shaw (trumpet.)
Richard Davis ALSO plays the bass on "Burning Spear" and duets with Dolphy on Ellington's "Come Sunday" and "Ode To C.P." (C.P. naturally abbreviating Charlie Parker.)

These 1963 performances are great and the sound quality is very good. While not AS eccentric, Avant-Garde and free as "Out To Lunch" (since it lacks Tony Williams, and since there are three other horn players aside from Dolphy) the melodies are still beautifully arranged, and differs from what mainstream jazz artists recorded in the early 60's.
A warm recommendation if you've already been out to lunch!

I rank Iron Man among Dolphy's best discs and I have listened to quite a few of them. There is one problem with this disc and it has nothing to do with the music. The Fuel 2000 version of this great album all seem to have static noises on the last tune "Ode to P.C.". I thought I had just bought a defective CD so I returned it to exchange for another copy but the new copy had the same problem. Unfortunately the static noise renders the last song unlistenable.

For me this is Dolphy's best album and one of the great albums ever. Somehow this never got the recognition that Out To Lunch and others have. It certainly should be reissued. The compositions are Dolphy's best on one single album (with Out to Lunch a close second).
I disagree with the comment that there is discordance. There is dissonance -- a beautiful and heartfelt kind of dissonance. The whole ensemble is great. (BTW, this must have been one of Woody Shaw's and Bobby Hutcherson's first recordings. Hutcherson in particular shines.) However Dolphy's solos, arrangements and compositions are the highpoints.
This album is so original and timeless even by Dolphy's standards. All tracks are moving, but "Burning Spear" is a masterpiece that gets to me everytime - it really evokes a primal state.
If you are a Dolphy fan, or want to hear music that is the opposite of generic, track this one down.

Whilst I'd undoubtedly stick Dolphy's "Out to Lunch" somewhere on a "Desert Island Discs" list, if need be, I don't think "Iron Man" would be too far behind. In fact, when push comes to shove, I think I'd have to rate this as possibly Dolphy's best ever album.
Produced by the estimable Alan Douglas (later producer/hanger-on for Hendrix, Miles, McLaughlin, Last Poets and more) in 1963, the line-up of musicians and hard-walloped SWING of this release makes it an essential listen. Sonically lying somewhere between the big band stylings of Mingus and the free-improv of Ornette or Coltrane, it's a perfect combination of density and freedom.
Highlights include the the title track, especially with Bobby Hutcherson's accompanying vibe action, and the avant-squonk of "Burning Spear", an 11+ minute journey that ranks as one of Dolphy's greatest compostions, his looming bass clarinet coming to the fore.
To state the bleeding obvious, had Dolphy lived longer than he had, we all would have been graced with so much more amazing music. Essential.

There's not much I can add to the earlier reviews. This is top-drawer Dolphy with fine support, especially from Bobby Hutcherson, Woody Shaw and Richard Davis. Dolphy was one of the great individualists, and it's no wonder that Coltrane, Ornette and Mingus all saw fit to draw on his talents. One note: as you may have gleaned from the reviews, the track listing above is actually from a different Dolphy disc, "Conversation." The correct tracks on this disc are "Iron Man," "Mandrake," "Come Sunday," "Burning Spear," and "Ode to C.P."

THis is not your usual Dolphy (the "usual Dolphy" is an oxymoron, anyway). These unusual takes were taped in New York, and given to a friend of Dolphy's before he left for his stint with Charles Mingus in 1964, dying just months later.

Left un-named, and boxed up while other Dolphy music surfaced, these takes offer an exploratory and introverted look at Dolphy toward the end of his life.

This is not comparable to "Out To Lunch," or any other Dolphy albums. It is much more sparse, and if you can believe it, more far out.

Strange vocal arrangement appear on a couple of tracks, as well as a wicked flute solo.

If you are a hard core Dolphite, you will dig.

Four stars.

Track 1: Jim Crow, the standout on this CD, is a beautifully written and performed non jazz piece(apart from an incongruous, pedestrian but thankfully short jazz quartet interlude in the middle with irritating cliched jazz drumming). This mainly non beat driven track is quite unlike any other recorded Dolphy I know of as he works superbly with an exceptional singer whom the insert booklet lists as unknown. This singer's work is at least of equal stature to Dolphy's playing and despite the bathetic jazz intrusion this is my favorite Dolphy recording. I don't think you'll understand the artistic breadth of Eric Dolphy until you hear this.

Tracks 2 and 4: Solo flute pieces, elegant, expressive, free flowing and again showing an artistry revelling in being unhindered by jazz protocols.

Track 3: Just Dolphy on alto sax and Ron Carter on double bass. Carter's playing is of an exuberant and playful nature and Dolphy is inspired as usual - quite a happy piece.

Track 5: Dolphy on flute playing a simple non stop riff with Gina Lalli on tablas and presumably the one vocalising -"taka taka ta" etc - her drumlines as she plays, and Roger Mason on Tamboura. Written by Dolphy for dancer Drid Williams, according to the insert booklet - I find it hard to believe that he wrote all the instrumental parts - as a stand alone piece I find it way too simple and repetitive to be satisfying. But it's not irritating and serves as an interesting document adding to our appreciation of Dolphy's apparently growing breadth of musical projects before he sadly died.

As if tracking down Eric Dolphy albums weren't already enough of a safari, even the great reedsmith's few major-label releases are now starting to go out of print. To be fair, however, I can't imagine that Blue Note was moving all that many copies of this posthumous collection of Dolphy rarities (rather a redundant concept in itself); and unless one is an extremely devoted fan there's little reason to pay the intimidating prices being charged for used copies on this page.
Anyway, to get down to specifics, OTHER ASPECTS offers five tracks, recorded in 1960 and 1962, a couple of which at least do in fact probe lesser-known facets of Dolphy's music. This is certainly the case with the opener, "Jim Crow," a fifteen-and-a-half-minute Dolphy composition of no fixed genre on which the Maestro alternately plays all three of his major instruments (alto saxophone, flute and bass clarinet) over a full rhythm section and alongside a moaning - and ultimately rather aggravating - female vocalist. Dating from 1962, the piece bears a loose relation to the various "third stream" efforts with which Dolphy was involved at the time, further examples of which are available on collections such as VINTAGE DOLPHY and the celebrated Gunther Schuller/John Lewis JAZZ ABSTRACTIONS album.
Three short pieces follow, all of a far more mainstream mold. "Inner Flight," a two-part a cappella flute recital, and "Dolphy'n," a duet between Dolphy on alto sax and Ron Carter on bass, are all well played and effective enough; but none would rank among Dolphy's best work, and with so much of his best work from this period readily available, they're of minimal interest to non-specialists.
Finally, "Improvisations and Tukras" presents Dolphy playing a repeated flute obligato behind a repeated non-verbal chant to the accompaniment of several Indian percussionists. Apparently intended as the backing for a traditional Subcontinental dance, it might be all right as listening material for two or three minutes; but after nearly eleven, one is more than ready to have done with it.
The liner notes tell us that Dolphy left these tapes with friends before departing with Charles Mingus for the 1964 European tour from which he would never return. We may therefore assume that he had plans for all of these pieces, though it's doubtful he saw them as a potential album. That they ultimately became one is to Blue Note's credit, since any new releases from Eric Dolphy are to be welcomed; but the deletion of OTHER ASPECTS from the label's catalogue is not quite a tragedy.

Suprisingly enough this cd was a disappointment.Despite high energy playing from Dolphy the vocal arrangements On "Jim Crow" and "Improvisations and Tukras" are tedious and at times almost unbearable. The other 3 tracks feature two that are flute solos and "Dolphy N" the best track that features Dolphy on alto and Ron Carter on bass. Overall the album is inconsistent and doesn't hold up next to Dolphy classics such as "Out To Lunch". Avoid.

The cultural and traditional value of the music on this album is much more clear than in any of Dolphy's other work. Like Rimsky-Korsakov pulling on Russian folk music and elaborating on it to create a national music, Dolphy reaches out to traditional African folk music, and expanding upon it with a visionary avant-garde perspective, creates a higher form of African jazz.

These recordings are like diamonds in the rough -- incomplete ideas that may have been expanded on with explosive results, if not for Dolphy's untimely death. Fans of 'Out to Lunch' and albums of the like might be a tad thrown off -- aside from Dolphy's characteristic playing, the music is far from his norm. But hearing Dolphy's explorations into music and his capacity for experimentation is priceless.

Not for the casual jazz listener, but for anyone who dares to hear something completely beyond the conventional.

Eric Dolphy was one of those rare musicians for he could straddle between the avant-garde jazz world and that of classical music--not even Wynton Marsalis can claim that virtue since he has outrightly put down the avant garde in print. If you're undecided about this form of jazz then do check out this album. This was one of Dolphy's last recorded U.S. effort and it's a stunner (you wonder how backward Downbeat was when they gave this a less than stellar rating). Backed by familiar co-horts such as Freddie Hubbard, Bobby Hutcherson and Richard Davis, the virtuoso Dolphy demonstrates his excellence with his own tunes like the Monk-dedicated, "Hat & Beard" to a tribute to a fellow flautist, "Gazzeloni". And let's not forget the great late Tony Williams on drums--the success of this album is due to the empathy between him and Dolphy. The only regret I have about the RVG version of this classic is that in the 20 bit remastering, separation is virtually lost and the sound is very thin, tinny. If you can, do get the original issue or at worse, the European edition. I traded the RVG version for an original issue which at that time was cheaper!! Other RVG releases to avoid are "Midnight Blue" ,"Unity", and "Speak No Evil"--get the original issues. Outside of that this album is recommended.

This was the last great studio album Dolphy was to record before his early death months later in Berlin in June of 1964. Some of his best works on bass clarinet and flute are found on here, including "Hat and Beard" and "Gazzelloni". Dolphy's bass clarinet skills are typically in the middle range and his phrasing and tonality are just amazing. Freddie Hubbard (t), who played on Dolphy's 1960 "Outward Bound" album returns on here to add his expertise. Richard Davis (b), who played on the 1961 "At the Five Spot" and 1963's "Music Matador", is also present on this date. Bobby Hutcherson (vibes) and Anthony Williams (d) were both new to Blue Note, and their presence on this album assured their longevity with the label. Considered by many fans and critics as the highpoint of Dolphy's career, "Out to Lunch" is certain to bring more fans flocking to Dolphy's work for years to come.

An utterly inaccessible but extremely worthwhile jazz masterpiece. There's no piano here - Dolphy plays a variety of woodwinds (bass clarinet on "Hat and Beard" and "Something Sweet, Something Tender"; flute on "Gazzelloni"; alto sax on the title cut and "Straight Up and Down"); and the band includes other famous jazz figures such as Tony Williams (soon to join Miles Davis and form his own group, Tony Williams Lifetime) on drums and Freddie Hubbard (also of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, Herbie Hancock's Maiden Voyage-era band, and the Coltrane group that made Ascension) playing trumpet. But the real star of the show is Dolphy, merging Monk's innovations in odd chord progression, Coleman's love of atypical harmonies, and Mingus' experiments with song structure - often, the themes are played in odd measures, giving them a tremendously off-kilter feel (the nervy "Straight Up and Down"; Monk tribute "Hat and Beard", with an insane vibraphone part from Bobby Hutcherson). The sole ballad of the set, "Something Sweet, Something Tender", mainly a duet between Dolph and bassist Ron Davis, is beautiful in a weird way, much like some of Coltrane's very last recordings. There's also a strange pseudo-classical experiment ("Gazzelloni") that's absolutely brilliant, because there is nothing else like it. And I do mean nothing - listen to Dolph's flute. It will dispel all notions of the instrument having a pleasant, easy-on-the-ears sound. It also will dispel all notions of vibes being pleasant and easy-on-the-ears, for those looking to see notions dispelled. It's an insane piece, which is precisely why I love it. That, and it has a bass solo. Those are always good. The amazing title track is probably the worst song here, but it would've been the best on any other album - again, the bass solo really is something. I gotta say, get this right now if you like Thelonious Monk, Ornette Coleman, and/or Charles Mingus - especially if you, like me, like all three of 'em. It's not for everybody, but it's very much worth a buy.

After listening to this recording, it was clear Dolphy more than successfully honed his distinct musical purpose. He created music worthy of inclusion into the musical canon. "Outward Bound" seemed like Dolphy transitioning from his Mingus days to his own style. "Out There" was a loose, fuzzy progression toward the "Out to Lunch" recording. "Out to Lunch" is much, much tighter and fully focused. There is not one unessential note on the entire cd. Dolphy's phrases are more exquisitely expressive than ever, with his juxtaposition of low and high notes and "animal sounds". Dolphy is a refreshing change from other heavyweights like Davis and Coltrane, because his does not have an intensely dramatic style. He is down to earth, someone who could describe the average joe's day in a beautiful song. His tone and technical virtuosity gets your attention, but he is not abrasive with either one, a pleasing trait very similar to Parker. As a Monk fan, I would have to say my favorite track on this album is "something sweet, something tender," largely because it is blues-laden, just like all Monk's music. And, like Monk, there is humor in his music, a kind of poking fun at grandiose melodrama, as the lazy chorus drags on "something tender, something sweet." Jocularity is also evident in the humorously uneventful title and cover. One can easily note after the first listen that "Out to Lunch" would not have been as monumental as it became without Hubbard, Hutcherson, Davis and Williams creating a moody, rich environment for Dolphy. This is an essential record.

The first time I heard this album, it was such a pleasant suprise. I've almost never heard a jazz record so unique and pleasant. It's a very creative album that simply sounds good. It seems like it's Dolphy at his best. At least of what I've heard of him.

I do suggest you give this album a listen before you buy it though. It seems that there are a few people who see everyone getting all excited over it, and after they buy it, they realize their taste does differ. Hopefully, though, you'll enjoy this album as much as I do. One of my favorite jazz albums yet.

Eric Dolphy was one of those rare musicians for he could straddle between the avant-garde jazz world and that of classical music--not even Wynton Marsalis can claim that virtue since he has outrightly put down the avant garde in print. If you're undecided about this form of jazz then do check out this album. This was one of Dolphy's last recorded U.S. effort and it's a stunner (you wonder how backward Downbeat was when they gave this a less than stellar rating). Backed by familiar co-horts such as Freddie Hubbard, Bobby Hutcherson and Richard Davis, the virtuoso Dolphy demonstrates his excellence with his own tunes like the Monk-dedicated, "Hat & Beard" to a tribute to a fellow flautist, "Gazzeloni". And let's not forget the great late Tony Williams on drums--the success of this album is due to the empathy between him and Dolphy. The only regret I have about the RVG version of this classic is that in the 20 bit remastering, separation is virtually lost and the sound is very thin, tinny. If you can, do get the original issue or at worse, the European edition. I traded the RVG version for an original issue which at that time was cheaper!! Other RVG releases to avoid are "Midnight Blue" ,"Unity", and "Speak No Evil"--get the original issues. Outside of that this album is recommended.

This was the last great studio album Dolphy was to record before his early death months later in Berlin in June of 1964. Some of his best works on bass clarinet and flute are found on here, including "Hat and Beard" and "Gazzelloni". Dolphy's bass clarinet skills are typically in the middle range and his phrasing and tonality are just amazing. Freddie Hubbard (t), who played on Dolphy's 1960 "Outward Bound" album returns on here to add his expertise. Richard Davis (b), who played on the 1961 "At the Five Spot" and 1963's "Music Matador", is also present on this date. Bobby Hutcherson (vibes) and Anthony Williams (d) were both new to Blue Note, and their presence on this album assured their longevity with the label. Considered by many fans and critics as the highpoint of Dolphy's career, "Out to Lunch" is certain to bring more fans flocking to Dolphy's work for years to come.

An utterly inaccessible but extremely worthwhile jazz masterpiece. There's no piano here - Dolphy plays a variety of woodwinds (bass clarinet on "Hat and Beard" and "Something Sweet, Something Tender"; flute on "Gazzelloni"; alto sax on the title cut and "Straight Up and Down"); and the band includes other famous jazz figures such as Tony Williams (soon to join Miles Davis and form his own group, Tony Williams Lifetime) on drums and Freddie Hubbard (also of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, Herbie Hancock's Maiden Voyage-era band, and the Coltrane group that made Ascension) playing trumpet. But the real star of the show is Dolphy, merging Monk's innovations in odd chord progression, Coleman's love of atypical harmonies, and Mingus' experiments with song structure - often, the themes are played in odd measures, giving them a tremendously off-kilter feel (the nervy "Straight Up and Down"; Monk tribute "Hat and Beard", with an insane vibraphone part from Bobby Hutcherson). The sole ballad of the set, "Something Sweet, Something Tender", mainly a duet between Dolph and bassist Ron Davis, is beautiful in a weird way, much like some of Coltrane's very last recordings. There's also a strange pseudo-classical experiment ("Gazzelloni") that's absolutely brilliant, because there is nothing else like it. And I do mean nothing - listen to Dolph's flute. It will dispel all notions of the instrument having a pleasant, easy-on-the-ears sound. It also will dispel all notions of vibes being pleasant and easy-on-the-ears, for those looking to see notions dispelled. It's an insane piece, which is precisely why I love it. That, and it has a bass solo. Those are always good. The amazing title track is probably the worst song here, but it would've been the best on any other album - again, the bass solo really is something. I gotta say, get this right now if you like Thelonious Monk, Ornette Coleman, and/or Charles Mingus - especially if you, like me, like all three of 'em. It's not for everybody, but it's very much worth a buy.

After listening to this recording, it was clear Dolphy more than successfully honed his distinct musical purpose. He created music worthy of inclusion into the musical canon. "Outward Bound" seemed like Dolphy transitioning from his Mingus days to his own style. "Out There" was a loose, fuzzy progression toward the "Out to Lunch" recording. "Out to Lunch" is much, much tighter and fully focused. There is not one unessential note on the entire cd. Dolphy's phrases are more exquisitely expressive than ever, with his juxtaposition of low and high notes and "animal sounds". Dolphy is a refreshing change from other heavyweights like Davis and Coltrane, because his does not have an intensely dramatic style. He is down to earth, someone who could describe the average joe's day in a beautiful song. His tone and technical virtuosity gets your attention, but he is not abrasive with either one, a pleasing trait very similar to Parker. As a Monk fan, I would have to say my favorite track on this album is "something sweet, something tender," largely because it is blues-laden, just like all Monk's music. And, like Monk, there is humor in his music, a kind of poking fun at grandiose melodrama, as the lazy chorus drags on "something tender, something sweet." Jocularity is also evident in the humorously uneventful title and cover. One can easily note after the first listen that "Out to Lunch" would not have been as monumental as it became without Hubbard, Hutcherson, Davis and Williams creating a moody, rich environment for Dolphy. This is an essential record.

The first time I heard this album, it was such a pleasant suprise. I've almost never heard a jazz record so unique and pleasant. It's a very creative album that simply sounds good. It seems like it's Dolphy at his best. At least of what I've heard of him.

I do suggest you give this album a listen before you buy it though. It seems that there are a few people who see everyone getting all excited over it, and after they buy it, they realize their taste does differ. Hopefully, though, you'll enjoy this album as much as I do. One of my favorite jazz albums yet.

Eric Dolphy was one of those rare musicians for he could straddle between the avant-garde jazz world and that of classical music--not even Wynton Marsalis can claim that virtue since he has outrightly put down the avant garde in print. If you're undecided about this form of jazz then do check out this album. This was one of Dolphy's last recorded U.S. effort and it's a stunner (you wonder how backward Downbeat was when they gave this a less than stellar rating). Backed by familiar co-horts such as Freddie Hubbard, Bobby Hutcherson and Richard Davis, the virtuoso Dolphy demonstrates his excellence with his own tunes like the Monk-dedicated, "Hat & Beard" to a tribute to a fellow flautist, "Gazzeloni". And let's not forget the great late Tony Williams on drums--the success of this album is due to the empathy between him and Dolphy. The only regret I have about the RVG version of this classic is that in the 20 bit remastering, separation is virtually lost and the sound is very thin, tinny. If you can, do get the original issue or at worse, the European edition. I traded the RVG version for an original issue which at that time was cheaper!! Other RVG releases to avoid are "Midnight Blue" ,"Unity", and "Speak No Evil"--get the original issues. Outside of that this album is recommended.

This was the last great studio album Dolphy was to record before his early death months later in Berlin in June of 1964. Some of his best works on bass clarinet and flute are found on here, including "Hat and Beard" and "Gazzelloni". Dolphy's bass clarinet skills are typically in the middle range and his phrasing and tonality are just amazing. Freddie Hubbard (t), who played on Dolphy's 1960 "Outward Bound" album returns on here to add his expertise. Richard Davis (b), who played on the 1961 "At the Five Spot" and 1963's "Music Matador", is also present on this date. Bobby Hutcherson (vibes) and Anthony Williams (d) were both new to Blue Note, and their presence on this album assured their longevity with the label. Considered by many fans and critics as the highpoint of Dolphy's career, "Out to Lunch" is certain to bring more fans flocking to Dolphy's work for years to come.

An utterly inaccessible but extremely worthwhile jazz masterpiece. There's no piano here - Dolphy plays a variety of woodwinds (bass clarinet on "Hat and Beard" and "Something Sweet, Something Tender"; flute on "Gazzelloni"; alto sax on the title cut and "Straight Up and Down"); and the band includes other famous jazz figures such as Tony Williams (soon to join Miles Davis and form his own group, Tony Williams Lifetime) on drums and Freddie Hubbard (also of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, Herbie Hancock's Maiden Voyage-era band, and the Coltrane group that made Ascension) playing trumpet. But the real star of the show is Dolphy, merging Monk's innovations in odd chord progression, Coleman's love of atypical harmonies, and Mingus' experiments with song structure - often, the themes are played in odd measures, giving them a tremendously off-kilter feel (the nervy "Straight Up and Down"; Monk tribute "Hat and Beard", with an insane vibraphone part from Bobby Hutcherson). The sole ballad of the set, "Something Sweet, Something Tender", mainly a duet between Dolph and bassist Ron Davis, is beautiful in a weird way, much like some of Coltrane's very last recordings. There's also a strange pseudo-classical experiment ("Gazzelloni") that's absolutely brilliant, because there is nothing else like it. And I do mean nothing - listen to Dolph's flute. It will dispel all notions of the instrument having a pleasant, easy-on-the-ears sound. It also will dispel all notions of vibes being pleasant and easy-on-the-ears, for those looking to see notions dispelled. It's an insane piece, which is precisely why I love it. That, and it has a bass solo. Those are always good. The amazing title track is probably the worst song here, but it would've been the best on any other album - again, the bass solo really is something. I gotta say, get this right now if you like Thelonious Monk, Ornette Coleman, and/or Charles Mingus - especially if you, like me, like all three of 'em. It's not for everybody, but it's very much worth a buy.

After listening to this recording, it was clear Dolphy more than successfully honed his distinct musical purpose. He created music worthy of inclusion into the musical canon. "Outward Bound" seemed like Dolphy transitioning from his Mingus days to his own style. "Out There" was a loose, fuzzy progression toward the "Out to Lunch" recording. "Out to Lunch" is much, much tighter and fully focused. There is not one unessential note on the entire cd. Dolphy's phrases are more exquisitely expressive than ever, with his juxtaposition of low and high notes and "animal sounds". Dolphy is a refreshing change from other heavyweights like Davis and Coltrane, because his does not have an intensely dramatic style. He is down to earth, someone who could describe the average joe's day in a beautiful song. His tone and technical virtuosity gets your attention, but he is not abrasive with either one, a pleasing trait very similar to Parker. As a Monk fan, I would have to say my favorite track on this album is "something sweet, something tender," largely because it is blues-laden, just like all Monk's music. And, like Monk, there is humor in his music, a kind of poking fun at grandiose melodrama, as the lazy chorus drags on "something tender, something sweet." Jocularity is also evident in the humorously uneventful title and cover. One can easily note after the first listen that "Out to Lunch" would not have been as monumental as it became without Hubbard, Hutcherson, Davis and Williams creating a moody, rich environment for Dolphy. This is an essential record.

The first time I heard this album, it was such a pleasant suprise. I've almost never heard a jazz record so unique and pleasant. It's a very creative album that simply sounds good. It seems like it's Dolphy at his best. At least of what I've heard of him.

I do suggest you give this album a listen before you buy it though. It seems that there are a few people who see everyone getting all excited over it, and after they buy it, they realize their taste does differ. Hopefully, though, you'll enjoy this album as much as I do. One of my favorite jazz albums yet.