Eric Dolphy - Out There

By the time of this 1960 recording, only his second as a leader, Dolphy has already dispensed with the "traditional" jazz instrumentation. With bassist George Duvivier and drummer Roy Haynes holding down the rhythm, Ron Carter moves to the frontline armed with a cello, joining Dolphy as he switches from alto to bass clarinet to regular clarinet to flute. Out There catches Dolphy at a significant crossroads: The music is more ambitious and more jagged than on its predecessor Outward Bound, but more cohesive and less aurally challenging than on his 1964 master work, Out to Lunch. Dolphy's improvisations---on each instrument--are bursting with creative, far-reaching ideas, expressive wails, and frenetic flurries while Carter's eerie arco (bowed) cello ambles quietly, sometimes melancholy, sometimes menacing. Dolphy's four originals show his absorption of Mingus---especially on the blues distortion of "Serene"---and provide perfect blueprints for his bizarre constructions. The quartet also handles one tune from Mingus himself (the ruminating "Eclipse") plus Randy Weston's fragile "Sketch of Melba." --Marc Greilsamer Amazon.com

A fine album of free jazz

This 1960 recording constitutes my first exposure to the works of Eric Dolphy and I found the listening experience to be rich. Surprisingly, for a record of "free-jazz" this was not as out there (this was not intentional) as I expected and Eric favors an almost polite approach to what is essentially third stream music.

The lineup on this album includes the late Eric Dolphy (alto saxophone, flute, Bb and bass clarinets), Ron Carter (cello), George Duvivier (acoustic bass) and Roy Haynes (drums). This is a fantastic ensemble that is capable of great ensemble work and superb soloing. One unexpected treat was to hear the great bassist Ron Carter on cello - he is a fantastic cellist as well and started out on this instrument in a classical setting. Indeed, along with Eric's astounding abilities on woodwinds (particularly the bass clarinet), the introduction of the cello as a solo instrument adds a textural element that you do not find too often in jazz. With respect to the rhythm section, George not only provides excellent counterpoint, but turns in some great solos on his own and Roy provides a solid foundation.

This album primarily features compositions by Eric, with the exception of Out There which was co-authored with Charles Mingus, and a few covers including Eclipse (Mingus), Sketch of Melba (Randy Weston) and Feathers (Hale Smith). The pieces are in large part, what one might consider "straight" jazz, although the at times, atonal torrents of notes on the woodwinds and the odd sound of a cello in this context lends it a bit of an edge. I have to admit that Ron's cello parts are fascinating and at times it sounds as if he is playing a completely different melody than Eric; with only a few notes used as common points that link the two players. The melody lines are highly angular and at points, seem to on the verge of veering out of control, only to fall back on track in a split second. Odd meters are also used a lot although for the most part, this album "swings" and breathes freely, like a lot of the hard bop that I am familiar with.

This Hybrid Super Audio Compact Disc (SA-CD) boasts fantastic sound, although I have yet to make full use of the SACD layers. As played through a set of excellent Bose headphones, there is great separation of individual instruments and both the highs and lows sound natural.

All in all, this is a fantastic recording of fascinating free jazz that showcases the exhilarating talents of Eric Dolphy and is highly recommended. April 1, 2008

a fine fare

dolphy on alto on the title track blows like a steady wind across a long corrugated surface. pair this with any piece by charlie parker on your player and you're really in for a treat of alto playing. dolphy's other alto offering on out there is feathers, my favorite selection, opens as a ballad, which, surprisingly, would make it an incongruous choice among the other tunes did it not spread its wings and -- swing.

what else? monk's eclipse is eerie, dolphy on clarinet and ron carter on cello, now that's out there.

other selections feature dolphy on his usual flute and bass clarinet. here more palatable than say, on out to lunch.

an excellent addition to a jazz collection. file under saxophonists, late 40s to early 60s.


February 18, 2008

Essential Dolphy

4.5 stars. This makes for a very enjoyable listen. Many recordings from the early 1960s sound dated--to me, this one has a timeless quality. The combination of Dolphy's unique style (on several instruments) and Ron Carter's cello work (both bowed and picked), makes for some rare sounds and harmonies. The main reason I've docked OUT THERE half a notch is that the leader's solos ramble a bit much (i.e., they are not as logicial and coherent as usual for him, at least to my ears) on a couple of the tracks. Overall, I prefer FAR CRY, the album Dolphy made a few months later with the outstanding young trumpeter Booker Little--don't miss that one. But OUT THERE is certainly also recommended if you're attuned to or becoming acquainted Dolphy's music. This CD is newly re-mastered and sounds great.


July 12, 2007

"Out There" is out of sight!!!

Eric Dolphy is a sadly underrated Jazz legend. During his all-too-brief career he performed alongside many greats (notably John Coltrane, Charles Mingus and Ornette Coleman) as well as a leader on his own. His second album "Out There" from 1960 finds Dolphy stretching the limits of what can be done in a jazz combo by dispensing with piano and adding, of all things, a cello as a second lead voice. Besides his usual array of wind instruments (alto sax, bass clarinet and flute), Dolphy also makes a rare appearance on a regular b-flat clarinet on the haunting cover of Charles Mingus's "Eclipse" (the only time Dolphy used the instrument on record).
Elsewhere on the album, Dolphy swings and sways especially on the two opening cuts, the title track and "Serene". The title track features some stellar alto sax workouts while "Serene" and the following track "The Baron" display Dolphy's dexterious talents as a bass clarinetist. His dancable flute playing is highlighted in great form on "17 West" and "Sketch of Melba". The former is another swinging affair while the latter is a haunting bluesy mood music piece.
The other musicians on "Out There" are stars on this album as well. Ron Carter (who later joined Miles Davis's second classic quintet as a bassist) provides the daunting task of playing cello and he does so with tremendous results. On every track, Carter displays a solid counterpart to Dolphy's woodwinds and even steps forward as a soloist on more than one occasion. Check out his solo on "The Baron". It's a killer.
Bassist George Duvivier and the legendary drummer Roy Haynes provide the rhythms on this album and on every track, they play flawlessly. The grooves they provide on the title track are worth the price of this album alone.
While it hasn't gained the legendary status of, say, "Giant Steps", "A Love Supreme" or "Kind Of Blue", "Out There" is nonetheless a very important jazz album. Nothing else from the time period sounds exactly like it. Eric Dolphy's flawless mix of pure jazz with unconventional instrumentation (the cello) is pulled off very successfully here. So, with that said, this album is indeed a classic.
Check it out!! It's Out of Sight!!
April 4, 2007

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