Customer Reviews

Outward Bound: Rudy Van Gelder Remasters

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Due to the sad circumstances of his early death, a sort of earnest gravity always seems to surround the work of Eric Dolphy, or discussions of it anyway. That makes this album--along with Dolphy's many musical "conversations" with Charles Mingus--a welcome reminder of how witty and sly Dolphy could be. Fittingly, the music here was recorded on April Fool's Day in 1960, with another musical comedian (and Mingus veteran), Jaki Byard, proving a superb prankster-at-arms. The music here joyfully sends up everything from the "new thing" of Ornette Coleman to the stately seriousness of the Miles Davis Quintet. The band here even does a humourous deconstruction of the Davis group's beloved "On Green Dolphin Street." The Coleman-like Dolphy originals like "Les" and "G.W." will get your feet moving and erase any idea that "avant garde" has to mean "self-important". Throughout, drummer Roy Haynes is his usual, tasteful self, and only trumpet player Freddie Hubbard doesn't seem to be entirely in on the joke, playing with an earnestness that makes the rest of the proceedings all the funnier. Outward Bound is a joyous record that takes all the jazz styles then current and takes them for a ride.

Eric Dolphy is always grouped with Free Jazz and to a huge degree it makes sense. He played on Ornette Coleman's album of the same name in 1960. His solos were also pretty "out" as jazz heads term dissonant playing

But Dolphy died in 1964, and it was not until 1965 that John Coltrane released Ascension. This is vital to know, because that album made free jazz far louder, and acidic. If Coleman's Free Jazz was a hot coffee, Ascension was napalm.

Dolphy most likely would have been in Coltrane's fire bomb had he lived, but he missed the big change in the jazz avant gaurd.

But we have Outward Bound: this is not free jazz, although it absolutely sticks more than a foot in that door. The truth is, Dolphy loved chords and what could be played both with and against them.

If you listen to Outward Bound, it is really not the music that is free .Most of the tracks are twisted hard bop: great compositions with loopy chord substitutions that pressed the band into thinking on their toes. These have an almost classical grandness.

What goes on top is what is "out": Dolphy and his players solo anyway they want. What Dolphy in particular plays goes contrary to the grain of the chords, but it always works. His angular solos provide fresh pepper to what, in some respects, is pretty traditional music

Free jazz was not yet totally free when Outward Bound was made, but it sure is amazing listening to the album pushing jazz a few leaps more out there.

Eric Dolphy is one of this countries least appreciated genius, and his music and performances continue to awe and inspire. Mastering alto sax is a job in itself, but to add clarinet and flute to his arsenal is quite an accomplishment. Eric Dolphy has to be heard to be "understood". Words simply won't do.

Multi-reedsman Eric Dolphy literally played it relatively safe on OUTWARD BOUND, his 1960 debut album, crafting more of a particularly explosive - and sometimes very humorous - hard bop set than anything predictive of his later avant-garde efforts. That, along with the first-rate lineup of trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, pianist Jaki Byard, bassist George Tucker and veteran bebop trapsman Roy Haynes, helps to make this dynamic and inventive mix of original and covered material as perfect an introduction to Dolphy for the contemporary listener as it was for the jazz world as a whole nearly half a century ago.
Jumping right in with the slippery, blistering "GW," this date wastes no time in announcing the arrival of a uniquely capable and individual alto saxophonist, whose gifts are promptly put into even bolder perspective by his effortless switch to the haunting bass clarinet for a witty, almost vocalized rendition of the oft-visited "On Green Dolphin Street." "Les" and "245" are both Dolphy originals featuring more of his molten sax work with fine accompaniment from all aboard.
Things slow down and sweeten up on "Glad to Be Unhappy," with Dolphy offering a heart-wrenchingly beautiful flute performance while Hubbard lays out. Back to bass clarinet for the closing "Miss Toni," an upbeat bopper which sounds almost traditional after the more mercurial preceding numbers. This upgraded CD reissue adds three bonus cuts - the flash-fingered flute workout "April Fool" and lengthier alternate takes of "GW" and "245." All are well worth hearing and add greatly to the pleasures of this inspired and fruitful session.
Dolphy's life and career were, alas, to be tragically truncated barely four years after OUTWARD BOUND set him in flight; but the energy and enthusiasm so present in this classic recording are in no way compromised by the sad fate of its creator. A must for any jazz fan, completist or casual.

dolphy and hubbard on green dolphin street. dolphy and hubbard trading licks on les. on 245 first hubbard followed by dolphy put down brilliant blues improvisations. eric dolphy backed by george tucker on bass and roy haynes on drums plays a beautiful flute rendition of glad to be unhappy. and the remaining tunes g w and miss toni fill out the recording nicely. jackie byard is on piano.

Happy hour's with Eric Dolphy and friends
You will keep on smiling all day