Ted Curson - Tears for Dolphy (1964)

Although the term "avant-garde" is used several times in the liner notes, this quartet outing by trumpeter Ted Curson, tenor saxophonist Bill Barron, bassist Herb Bushler and drummer Dick Berk actually falls between hard bop and free bop. Curson and Barron in particular made for a potent team and their interplay on nine originals (five by Curson, four by Barron) is quite impressive, swinging and occasionally witty. This CD reissue brings back the entire Tears for Dolphy album plus three of the six songs from the Flip Top LP, all recorded the same day. Although the title cut does not live up to its potential, such tunes as "Kassim," "7/4 Funny Time," "Quicksand" and "Searchin' for the Blues" manage to be both explorative and surprisingly accessible.

By Scott Yanow in All Music Guide

Styles:
Hard-Bop
Post-Bop

Tracks:
01 - Kassim (07:41)
02 - East 6th Street (05:38)
03 - 7/4 Funny Time (05:28)
04 - Tears for Dolphy (08:32)
05 - Quicksand (06:39)
06 - Reava's Waltz (07:10)
07 - Searching for the Blues (07:47)
08 - Desolation (08:45)
09 - Light Blue (03:43)

Line-up:
Ted Curson - trumpet, pocket trumpet
Bill Barron - tenor saxophone, clarinet
Herb Bushler - double bass
Dick Berk - drums