Eric Dolphy - Out To Lunch! (1964)

Note: the CD I listened to was the 1999 Rudy Van Gelder Edition.

While generally praised as a masterpiece, I won't say too much about this one because I don't understand avant-garde/atonal bop/free jazz and it's not really my bag, but I listen from time to time in an effort to continue my music education through understanding. I will say the group uses its unique orchestration to its advantage throughout and I dig the timbral change of pace from these guys:

Original liner notes by A.B. Spellman.

Dolphy - alto saxophone, flute, bass clarinet
Freddie Hubbard - trumpet
Bobby Hutcherson - vibes
Richard Davis - bass
Anthony Williams - drums

Reviews/ratings:

• CashBox: "The boys create some inventive far-put [sic] musical developments"
• Stereo Review: "performances are exhilarating"
• The Rolling Stone Jazz & Blues Album Guide (1999): ★★★★★
• The Virgin Encyclopedia of Jazz (1999): ★★★★★
• The Penguin Guide to Jazz (5th ed., 2000): ♕★★★★

In 1987, this album was selected by Blue Note as one of the 25 Best Albums on the label.

In 2017, it was ranked at #15 on Pitchfork's list of the 200 Best Albums of the 1960s.

Update: In 2024, uDiscover Music ranked this album at #4 on its list of The 50 Greatest Blue Note Albums.

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: Did not chart

Tracks: All five cuts prove to challenge the listener, but the writing is much easier to consume than most other free jazz I've experienced.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None