Booker Little - Out Front (1961)

Booker Little was the first trumpet soloist to emerge in jazz after the death of Clifford Brown to have his own sound. His tragically brief life (he died at age 23 later in 1961) cut short what would have certainly been a major career. Little, on this sextet date with multi-reedist Eric Dolphy, trombonist Julian Priester, and drummer Max Roach, shows that his playing was really beyond bebop. His seven now-obscure originals (several of which deserve to be revived) are challenging for the soloists and there are many strong moments during these consistently challenging and satisfying performances.

By Scott Yanow in All Music Guide

Styles:
Hard-Bop

Tracks:
01 - We Speak (06:46)
02 - Strenght and Sanity (06:17)
03 - Quiet Please (08:10)
04 - Moods in Free Time (05:44)
05 - Man of Words (04:51)
06 - Hazy Hues (06:41)
07 - A New Day (05:31)

Line-up:
Booker Little - trumpet
Julian Priester - trombone
Eric Dolphy - alto saxophone, bass clarinet, flute
Don Friedman - piano
Art Davis - bass
Max Roach - drums, timpani, vibraphone

Eric Dolphy - Iron Man (1963)

The companion piece to Conversations (recorded at the same mid-1963 sessions with producer Alan Douglas), Iron Man is every bit as essential and strikes a more consistent ambience than its widely varied twin. It also more clearly anticipates the detailed, abstract sound paintings of Dolphy's masterwork Out to Lunch, in large part because this time around the program is weighted toward Dolphy originals. "Iron Man," "Burning Spear," and the shorter "Mandrake" all have pretty outside themes, full of Dolphy's trademark wide interval leaps and playful sense of dissonance. Yet there's enough structure and swing to make their roots in hard bop perfectly clear, and once the front-line horns blast out the themes, the ensemble shifts into a more cerebral, exploratory mode. In the absence of a piano, Bobby Hutcherson's vibes are a crucial anchor, outlining dissonant harmonies that hang in the air almost spectrally behind the rest of the group. Most of the same musicians from Conversations appear here, including trumpeter Woody Shaw, flutist Prince Lasha, altoist Sonny Simmons, and soprano sax player Clifford Jordan. And once again, Dolphy duets with bassist Richard Davis, twice this time -- on bass clarinet for Ellington's "Come Sunday" and on flute for Jaki Byard's "Ode to C.P." Both are lovely, meditative pieces filled with conversational exchanges between the two players, illustrating what similar wavelengths they were on. Between Conversations and Iron Man, split up the way they are, one has to give a slight edge to the latter for its more cohesive presentation, yet these are classic sessions in any form and constitute some of the most brilliant work of the early-'60s avant-garde.

by Steve Huey in All Music Guide

Styles:
Avant-Garde
Free-Jazz
Post-Bop

Tracks:
01 - Iron Man (09:07)
02 - Mandrake (04:50)
03 - Come Sunday (06:24)
04 - Burning Spear (11:49)
05 - Ode to C.P. (08:05)

Line-up:
Eric Dolphy – bass clarinet, flute, alto saxophone
Richard Davis – bass
Clifford Jordan – tenor saxophone
Sonny Simmons – alto saxophone
(William) Prince Lasha – flute
Woody Shaw Jr. – trumpet
Bobby Hutcherson – vibraphone
J.C. Moses – drums
Eddie Khan – bass ("Iron Man")

Andrew Hill - Point of Departure (1964)

Pianist and composer Andrew Hill is perhaps known more for this date than any other in his catalogue -- and with good reason. Hill's complex compositions straddled many lines in the early to mid-1960s and crossed over many. Point of Departure, with its all-star lineup (even then), took jazz and wrote a new book on it, excluding nothing. With Eric Dolphy and Joe Henderson on saxophones (Dolphy also played clarinet, bass clarinet, and flute), Richard Davis on bass, Tony Williams on drums, and Kenny Dorham on trumpet, this was a cast created for a jazz fire dance. From the opening moments of "Refuge," with its complex minor mode intro that moves headlong via Hill's large, open chords that flat sevenths, ninths, and even 11ths in their striding to move through the mode, into a wellspring of angular hard bop and minor-key blues. Hill's solo is first and it cooks along in the upper middle register, almost all right hand ministrations, creating with his left a virtual counterpoint for Davis and a skittering wash of notes for Williams. The horn solos in are all from the hard bop book, but Dolphy cuts his close to the bone with an edgy tone. "New Monastery," which some mistake for an avant-garde tune, is actually a rewrite of bop minimalism extended by a diminished minor mode and an intervallic sequence that, while clipped, moves very quickly. Dorham solos to connect the dots of the knotty frontline melody and, in his wake, leaves the space open for Dolphy, who blows edgy, blue, and true into the center, as Hill jumps to create a maelstrom by vamping with augmented and suspended chords. Hill chills it out with gorgeous legato phrasing and a left-hand ostinato that cuts through the murk in the harmony. When Henderson takes his break, he just glides into the chromatically elegant space created by Hill, and it's suddenly a new tune. This disc is full of moments like this. In Hill's compositional world, everything is up for grabs. It just has to be taken a piece at a time, and not by leaving your fingerprints all over everything. In "Dedication," where he takes the piano solo further out melodically than on the rest of the album combined, he does so gradually. You cannot remember his starting point, only that there has been a transformation. This is a stellar date, essential for any representative jazz collection, and a record that, in the 21st century, still points the way to the future for jazz.

by Thom Jurek in All Music Guide

Styles:
Post-Bop
Avant-Garde

Tracks:
01 - Refuge (12:12)
02 - New Monastery (07:00)
03 - Spectrum (09:42)
04 - Flight 19 (04:10)
05 - Dedication (06:40)
06 - New Monastery [Alternate Trake] (06:13)
07 - Flight 19 [Alternate Take] (03:49)
08 - Dedication [Alternate Take] (07:03)

Line-up:
Andrew Hill - piano
Eric Dolphy - alto saxophone, bass clarinet, flute
Joe Henderson - tenor saxophone
Richard Davis - bass
Tony Williams - drums
Kenny Dorham - trumpet

Chico Hamilton Quintet - Gongs East! (1959)

The best-known of all the 1950s Chico Hamilton Quintet sets, this is also the only early Hamilton music that has been fully reissued on CD. At the time, the drummer's group also included cellist Nate Gershman, guitarist Dennis Budimir, bassist Wyatt Ruther and the young Eric Dolphy on alto, bass clarinet and flute. Dolphy has quite a few short solos on this rewarding music, and the highlights of the date include "Beyond the Blue Horizon," "Passion Flower," Gerald Wilson's "Tuesday at Two" and the exotic "Gongs East." Recommended.

by Scott Yanow in All Music Guide

Styles:
West-Coast Jazz
Hard-Bop

Tracks:
01 - Beyond The Blue Horizon (2:59)
02 - Where I Live (2:57)
03 - Gongs East (5:04)
04 - I Gave My Love A Cherry (4:03)
05 - Good Grief, Dennis (3:17)
06 - Long Ago And Far Away (3:04)
07 - Tuesday At Two (3:59)
08 - Nature By Emerson (4:48)
09 - Far East (4:38)
10 - Passion Flower (3:04)

Line-up:
Chico Hamilton - Drums
Wyatt Ruther - Bass
Nathan Gershman - Cello
Dennis Budimir - Guitar
Eric Dolphy - Saxophone [Alto], Flute, Clarinet [Bass]

Eric Dolphy - The Illinois Concert (1963)

The 1999 discovery of a previously unknown 1963 concert by Eric Dolphy makes it one of the finds of the decade. Taped for broadcast at the University of Illinois at Champaign, it was mentioned in an Eric Dolphy Internet chat room and eventually relayed to producer Michael Cuscuna. The sound is very good, except for overly prominent drums throughout the concert and an under-miked flute on "South Street Exit." Dolphy's playing is consistently rewarding, including a lengthy workout of "Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise," a miniature of "Something Sweet, Something Tender," and his always superb solo feature of "God Bless the Child." He switches to alto sax for an adventurous new work, "Iron Man" (which he would record a few months later for Douglas International), also inserting a hilarious quote of "Comin' Through the Rye." A 23-year-old Herbie Hancock on piano, Eddie Locke on bass, and drummer J. C. Moses make up the solid rhythm section. The last two tracks, "Red Planet" and Dolphy's "G.W.," add the support of the University of Illinois Brass Ensemble, which included a young Cecil Bridgewater on trumpet. Highly recommended!-

by Ken Dryden in All Music Guide

Styles:
Avant-Garde
Post-Bop

Tracks:
01 - Softly as in a Morning Sunrise (20:17)
02 - Something Sweet, Something Tender (1:28)
03 - God Bless The Child (8:45)
04 - South Street Exit (7:30)
05 - Iron Man (10:57)
06 - Red Planet (12:26)
07 - G.W. (7:40)

Line-up:
Eric Dolphy — flute, bass clarinet, alto saxophone
Eddie Khan — bass
Herbie Hancock — piano
J.C. Moses — drums

George Russell Sextet - Ezz-Thetics (1961)

This is a true classic. Composer/pianist George Russell gathered together a very versatile group of talents (trumpeter Don Ellis, trombonist Dave Baker, Eric Dolphy on alto and bass clarinet, bassist Steve Swallow, and drummer Joe Hunt) to explore three of his originals, "'Round Midnight" (which is given an extraordinary treatment by Dolphy), Miles Davis' "Nardis," and David Baker's "Honesty." The music is post-bop and although using ideas from avant-garde jazz, it does not fall into any simple category. The improvising is at a very high level and the frameworks (which include free and stop-time sections) really inspire the players. Highly recommended.

by Scott Yanow in All Music Guide

Styles:
Post-Bop
Mainstream Jazz

Tracks:
01 - Ezz-thetic (8:57)
02 - Nardisv (4:34)
03 - Lydiot (8:06)
04 - Thoughts (5:26)
05 - Honesty (8:55)
06 - Round Midnight (6:29)

Line-up:
George Russell - piano, arranger
Don Ellis - trumpet
Dave Baker - trombone
Eric Dolphy - alto sax and bass clarinet
Steve Swallow - bass
Joe Hunt - drums

Eric Dolphy - Out There (1960)

The follow-up album to Outward Bound, Eric Dolphy's second effort for the Prestige/New Jazz label (and later remastered by Rudy Van Gelder) was equally praised and vilified for many reasons. At a time when the "anti-jazz" tag was being tossed around, Dolphy's nonlinear, harshly harmonic music gave some critics grist for the grinding mill. A second or third listen to Dolphy's music reveals an unrepentant shadowy side, but also depth and purpose that were unprecedented and remain singularly unique. The usage of bassist George Duvivier and cellist Ron Carter (an idea borrowed from Dolphy's days with Chico Hamilton) gives the music its overcast color base, in many ways equally stunning and uninviting. Dolphy's ideas must be fully embraced, taken to heart, and accepted before listening. The music reveals the depth of his thought processes while also expressing his bare-bones sensitive and kind nature. The bluesy "Serene," led by Carter alongside Dolphy's bass clarinet, and the wondrous ballad "Sketch of Melba" provide the sweetest moments, the latter tune identified by the fluttery introspective flute of the leader, clearly indicating where latter-period musicians like James Newton initially heard what would form their concept. Three pieces owe alms to Charles Mingus: his dark, moody, doleful, melodic, and reluctant composition "Eclipse"; the co-written (with Dolphy) craggy and scattered title track featuring Dolphy's emblematic alto held together by the unflappable swing of drummer Roy Haynes; and "The Baron," the leader's dark and dirty, wise and willful tribute to his former boss, accented by a choppy and chatty solo from Carter. "17 West," almost a post-bop standard, is briefly tonal with a patented flute solo and questioning cello inserts, while the unexpected closer written by Hale Smith, "Feathers," is a haunting, soulful ballad of regret where Dolphy's alto is more immediately heard in the foreground. A somber and unusual album by the standards of any style of music, Out There explores Dolphy's vision in approaching the concept of tonality in a way few others -- before, concurrent, or after -- have ever envisioned.

by Michael G. Nastos in All Music Guide

Styles:
Avant-Garde
Post-Bop

Tracks:
01 - Out There (6:55)
02 - Serene (7:01)
03 - The Baron (2:57)
04 - Eclipse (2:45)
05 - 17 West (4:50)
06 - Sketch of Melba (4:40)
07 - Feathers (5:00)

Line-up:
Eric Dolphy — flute, bass clarinet, alto saxophone
Ron Carter — bass, cello
George Duvivier — bass
Roy Haynes — drums

John Coltrane - Olé Coltrane (1961)

The complicated rhythm patterns and diverse sonic textures on Olé are evidence that John Coltrane was once again charting his own course. His sheer ability as a maverick -- over and beyond his appreciable musical skills -- guides works such as this to new levels, ultimately advancing the entire art form. Historically, it's worth noting that recording had already commenced -- two days prior to this session -- on Africa/Brass, Coltrane's debut for the burgeoning Impulse! label. The two discs complement each other, suggesting a shift in the larger scheme of Coltrane's musical motifs. The assembled musicians worked within a basic quartet setting, featuring Coltrane (soprano/tenor sax), McCoy Tyner (piano), and Elvin Jones (drums), with double-bass chores held down by Art Davis and Reggie Workman. Added to that are significant contributions and interactions with Freddie Hubbard (trumpet) and Eric Dolphy (flute and alto sax). Dolphy's contract with another record label prevented him from being properly credited on initial pressings of the album. The title track is striking in its resemblance to the Spanish influence heard on Miles Davis' Sketches of Spain. This is taken a bit further as Coltrane's combo stretches out with inspired improvisations from Dolphy, Hubbard, Tyner, and Coltrane, respectively. "Olé" likewise sports some amazing double-bass interaction. The combination of a bowed upright bass played in tandem with the same instrument that is being plucked has a sinister permeation that assuredly excited Coltrane, who was perpetually searching from outside the norms. The haunting beauty of "Aisha" stands as one of the finest collaborative efforts between Tyner -- the song's author -- and Coltrane. The solos from Hubbard, Dolphy, and an uncredited Tyner gleam from within the context of a single facet in a multi-dimensional jewel. The CD reissue also includes an extra track cut during the Olé sessions. "To Her Ladyship" is likewise on the seven-volume Heavyweight Champion: The Complete Atlantic Recordings box set.

by Lindsay Planer in All Music Guide

Styles:
Modal
Hard Bop
Post Bop

Tracks:
01 - Olé (18:15)
02 - Dahomey Dance (10:52)
03 - Aisha (7:39)
04 - To Her Ladyship [Bonus Track] (8:58)

Line up:
John Coltrane – soprano sax, tenor sax
Eric Dolphy – flute, alto sax
Freddie Hubbard – trumpet
McCoy Tyner – piano
Reggie Workman – bass
Art Davis – bass
Elvin Jones – drums

Eric Dolphy - Out to Lunch (1964)

Out to Lunch stands as Eric Dolphy's magnum opus, an absolute pinnacle of avant-garde jazz in any form or era. Its rhythmic complexity was perhaps unrivaled since Dave Brubeck's Time Out, and its five Dolphy originals -- the jarring Monk tribute "Hat and Beard," the aptly titled "Something Sweet, Something Tender," the weirdly jaunty flute showcase "Gazzelloni," the militaristic title track, the drunken lurch of "Straight Up and Down" -- were a perfect balance of structured frameworks, carefully calibrated timbres, and generous individual freedom. Much has been written about Dolphy's odd time signatures, wide-interval leaps, and flirtations with atonality. And those preoccupations reach their peak on Out to Lunch, which is less rooted in bop tradition than anything Dolphy had ever done. But that sort of analytical description simply doesn't do justice to the utterly alien effect of the album's jagged soundscapes. Dolphy uses those pet devices for their evocative power and unnerving hints of dementia, not some abstract intellectual exercise. His solos and themes aren't just angular and dissonant -- they're hugely so, with a definite playfulness that becomes more apparent with every listen. The whole ensemble -- trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, vibist Bobby Hutcherson, bassist Richard Davis, and drummer Tony Williams -- takes full advantage of the freedom Dolphy offers, but special mention has to be made of Hutcherson, who has fully perfected his pianoless accompaniment technique. His creepy, floating chords and quick stabs of dissonance anchor the album's texture, and he punctuates the soloists' lines at the least expected times, suggesting completely different pulses. Meanwhile, Dolphy's stuttering vocal-like effects and oddly placed pauses often make his bass clarinet lines sound like they're tripping over themselves. Just as the title Out to Lunch suggests, this is music that sounds like nothing so much as a mad gleam in its creator's eyes.

by Steve Huey in All Music Guide

Styles:
Post-bop
Avant-Garde

Tracks:
01 - Hat and Beard (8:28)
02 - Something Sweet, Something Tender (6:06)
03 - Gazzelloni (7:24)
04 - Out to Lunch (12:10)
05 - Straight Up and Down (8:21)

Line-up:
Eric Dolphy - alto saxophone, flute, bass clarinet
Freddie Hubbard - trumpet
Bobby Hutcherson - vibraphone
Richard Davis - bass
Tony Williams - drums

Ornette Coleman - Free Jazz: A Colective Improvisation (1960)

The original cover of "Free Jazz" (1960) featured a reproduction of one of Jackson Pollock's drip paintings, "White Light." The reference is an apt one--like Pollock, Ornette has always had faith that out of chaos, intuition and freedom, beauty will emerge. For the recording session of "Free Jazz," Ornette brought with him two quartets (each with bass drums, and two horns) and had them play simultaneously, giving them only a few very vague directions.
What emerged was, like a Pollock painting, a thing of primal beauty and power, formally strange and surprisingly dance-like. It is also (like a Pollock) better experienced than described.
Each quartet occupies their own stereo channel (Ornette, Don Cherry, Scott LaFaro and Billy Higgins are on the left channel; and Eric Dolphy, Freddie Hubbard, Charlie Haden and Ed Blackwell are on the right). The music that comes out of the speakers is much more than an experiment; it's also much more than just the collective sound of all these wonderful musicians. It's an ecstatic work that has been an inspiration to creative musicians for over 40 years, and it will continue to be for many years to come.

Styles:
Avant-Garde
Free-Jazz

Tracks:
01 - Free Jazz (37:10)
02 - First Take (17:02)

Line-up:
Ornette Coleman – alto saxophone
Don Cherry – pocket trumpet
Scott LaFaro – bass
Billy Higgins – drums
Eric Dolphy – bass clarinet
Freddie Hubbard – trumpet
Charlie Haden – bass
Ed Blackwell – drums

John Coltrane Quartet with Eric Dolphy (1961)

Tracks:
01 Every Time We Say Goodbye
02 Impressions (with Eric Dolphy)
03 My Favorite Things (with Eric Dolphy)

Line-up:
John Coltrane - soprano and tenor saxophone
Eric Dolphy - alto saxophone / flute
McCoy Tyner - piano
Elvin Jones - drums
Steve Davis - bass

Oliver Nelson - The Blues and the Abstract Truth (1961)

As Oliver Nelson is known primarily as a big band leader and arranger, he is lesser known as a saxophonist and organizer of small ensembles. Blues and the Abstract Truth is his triumph as a musician for the aspects of not only defining the sound of an era with his all-time classic "Stolen Moments," but on this recording, assembling one of the most potent modern jazz sextets ever. Lead trumpeter Freddie Hubbard is at his peak of performance, while alto saxophonists Nelson and Eric Dolphy (Nelson doubling on tenor) team to form an unlikely union that was simmered to perfection. Bill Evans (piano), Paul Chambers (bass), and Roy Haynes (drums) can do no wrong as a rhythm section. "Stolen Moments" really needs no comments, as its undisputable beauty shines through in a three-part horn harmony fronting Hubbard's lead melody. It's a thing of beauty that is more timeless as the years pass. The "Blues" aspect is best heard on "Yearnin'," a stylish, swinging, and swaying downhearted piece that is a bluesy as Evans would ever be. Both "Blues" and "Abstract Truth" combine for the darker "Teenie's Blues," a feature for Nelson and Dolphy's alto saxes, Dolphy assertive in stepping forth with his distinctive, angular, dramatic, fractured, brittle voice that marks him a maverick. Then there's "Hoedown," which has always been the black sheep of this collection with its country flavor and stereo separated upper and lower horn in snappy call-and-response barking. As surging and searing hard boppers respectively, "Cascades" and "Butch & Butch" again remind you of the era of the early '60s when this music was king, and why Hubbard was so revered as a young master of the idiom. This CD is a must buy for all jazz collectors, and a Top Ten-Fifty favorite for many.

by Michael G. Nastos at All Music Guide.

Styles:
Post-Bop
Hard Bop
Progressive Jazz

Tracks:
01 Stolen Moments
02 Hoe-Down
03 Cascades
04 Yearin'
05 Butch and Butch
06 Teenie's Blues

Line-up:
George Barrow - baritone saxophone
Paul Chambers - bass
Eric Dolphy - flute / alto saxophone
Bill Evans - piano
Roy Haynes - drums
Freddie Hubbard - trumpet
Oliver Nelson - alto and tenor saxophone

Impressions