Out to Lunch (1964) was my first exposure to avant-garde jazz. In fact, I would definitely consider this chamber jazz.Understand, this is some pretty high-brow jazz, some could consider this pretentious. It certainly has a classical music vibe going on. Out to Lunch to me comes off as a third stream jazz record for sure.
I remember at the time I first heard it, thinking, this is some crazy stuff; especially "Straight up and Down" with that drunken strut down the avenue blues line?
With Bobby Hutcherson's icy hot vibes starting out the tune with a few mallet bangs, pretty odd, but grabs you kind of music?
Eric Dolphy is surely an acquired taste if you're new to jazz. Miles Davis once said of Dolphy: "That's got to be Eric Dolphy, nobody else could sound that bad". After a few years, I grew to accept that dissonance in sound and can listen to wide range of avant-garde and free jazz styles.
Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Hutcherson on vibes, Richard Davis on bass, and an 18 year old Tony Williams on drums. How could a drummer be so original and full of new ideas at the age of 18! By his 25th birthday you could honestly make the case for Williams being the greatest jazz drummer of all time.
One other thing of note about Out to Lunch: Engineer Rudy Van Gelder's production, almost and icy cold sound, sort of reminds of the ECM sound to come by the end of the decade. The production fits the music very well.
Dolphy also shows his expertise on Bass Clarinet on "Something Sweet Something Tender" and the flute on "Gazzelloni".
One of the most out of character releases from Blue Note Records, and easily one of their best during the entire history of the label. You can find original NY USA vinyl copies for between $100 and $200, up to $500. Liberty presses at around $50 and Mid 70's black "b" Liberty pressing for about $25.
Out To Lunch (The Rudy Van Gelder Edition
No comments:
Post a Comment