Out There (Eric Dolphy album)

Last updated
Out There
OutThere EricDolphy.jpg
Studio album by
Eric Dolphy
ReleasedSeptember 1961 (1961-09) [1] [2]
RecordedAugust 15, 1960
Studio Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ
Genre
Length33:50
Label New Jazz
Producer Esmond Edwards
Eric Dolphy chronology
Caribé
(1961)		Out There
(1961)		 Far Cry
(1962)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [3]
DownBeat Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [4]
The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [5]
The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [6]

Out There is an album by Eric Dolphy which was released by Prestige Records in September 1961. [1] [2] [7] It features Dolphy in a quartet with bassists Ron Carter (here playing cello) and George Duvivier, and drummer Roy Haynes. It was Dolphy's second album as a leader, released following his time with Charles Mingus.

Contents

The album features four original compositions by Dolphy, one of which is a collaborative effort with Mingus. The album also features three covers, "Eclipse" by Mingus, "Sketch of Melba" by Randy Weston and "Feathers" by Hale Smith. [8] The cover features a painting by Richard Jennings, known as "Prophet". [9]

Dolphy's group on Out There resembles the late 1950s ensembles of Chico Hamilton, with whom Dolphy played and recorded during that time, in that it features both a cello and a bass; however, unlike Hamilton's group, Dolphy's does not contain a guitar or other chordal instrument. As a result, Dolphy and Ron Carter solo over bass and drums only, helping to give the album a freer, more open sound when compared to Dolphy's previous album, Outward Bound , which featured pianist Jaki Byard. [10] On the other hand, the presence of the cello lends the album a chamber music feel. [11]

"Eclipse" from this album is one of the rare instances where Dolphy solos on B♭ clarinet. [12] Out There is one of Carter's earliest appearances on record.

Reception

The contemporaneous DownBeat reviewer identified an improvement in Dolphy's bass clarinet playing and described him as "one of the few uncliched flute players in jazz". [4] Reviewing the album for AllMusic, Michael G. Nastos noted the presence of "a depth and purpose that were unprecedented and remain singularly unique," and states that "[t]he music reveals the depth of [Dolphy's] thought processes while also expressing his bare-bones sensitive and kind nature." He concluded: "Out There explores Dolphy's vision in approaching the concept of tonality in a way few others -- before, concurrent, or after -- have ever envisioned." [3] In a review for the BBC, Peter Marsh wrote: "Throughout, the instrumental combinations throw up beautiful clashes and consonances... There's a sense of a proper Third Stream being mined here, and it says much for Dolphy's vision that such combinations are still the stuff of surprise 40 odd years later. While Out There is neither the compositional masterwork of Out to Lunch or the improvisational firestorm of the Five Spot sessions with Booker Little of the following year, it's nevertheless a worthy record of one of the most innovative jazz musicians ever to have walked the planet." [11]

Writing for PopMatters , Will Layman called the album "a dream come true", and noted how Dolphy and Carter are "free to explore harmony above the minimal barriers of George Duvivier's bass lines and Roy Haynes' snap-crackle-pop stick work." According to Layman, "'17 West' is irresistible, with the boys playing playful unison, then the flute grooving while the cello plays a hip double-stop figure in counterpoint." Regarding "Eclipse", he wrote: "there is a wonderful classical vibe as the strings play as an ensemble behind the leader. Then, as Dolphy plays a stately melody, Carter plays a wide-ranging improvisation around him. It's a rare example of a jazz musician finding a new way to package a tune other than the usual melody-solos-melody format that was tired even in 1960." [13]

Track listing

  1. "Out There" (Eric Dolphy) – 6:55
  2. "Serene" (Dolphy) – 7:01
  3. "The Baron" (Dolphy) – 2:57
  4. "Eclipse" (Charles Mingus) – 2:45
  5. "17 West" (Dolphy) – 4:50
  6. "Sketch of Melba" (Randy Weston) – 4:40
  7. "Feathers" (Hale Smith) – 5:00

Personnel

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eric Dolphy</span> American jazz musician

Eric Allan Dolphy Jr. was an American jazz alto saxophonist, bass clarinetist and flautist. On a few occasions, he also played the clarinet and piccolo. Dolphy was one of several multi-instrumentalists to gain prominence in the same era. His use of the bass clarinet helped to establish the instrument within jazz. Dolphy extended the vocabulary and boundaries of the alto saxophone, and was among the earliest significant jazz flute soloists.

<i>Out to Lunch!</i> 1964 studio album by Eric Dolphy

Out to Lunch! is a 1964 album by jazz multi-instrumentalist Eric Dolphy. His only recording on Blue Note as a leader, it was issued as BLP 4163 and BST 84163. Featuring Dolphy in a quintet with trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson, bassist Richard Davis and drummer Tony Williams, it was generally considered by critics as one of the finest albums issued on Blue Note, and widely viewed as one of the high points of 1960s avant-garde jazz. The album cover designed by Reid Miles features a photo of a "Will Be Back" sign displayed in a shop window showing a seven handed clock.

<i>At the Five Spot</i> 1961 live album by Eric Dolphy

Eric Dolphy at the Five Spot, Vols. 1 and 2, is a pair of jazz albums documenting one night from the end of Eric Dolphy and Booker Little's two-week residency at the Five Spot in New York. This was the only night to be recorded. The engineer was Rudy Van Gelder.

<i>Outward Bound</i> (Eric Dolphy album) 1960 studio album by Eric Dolphy

Outward Bound is the debut album by jazz multi-instrumentalist Eric Dolphy, released in 1960. It is oriented towards straight bebop, and slightly less adventurous than the majority of his later recordings. The album was recorded at Van Gelder Studio in New Jersey and features Dolphy in a quintet with trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, pianist Jaki Byard, bassist George Tucker and drummer Roy Haynes. Hubbard had shared living space with Dolphy when they both first arrived in New York City. The cover artwork was by Dolphy's friend Richard "Prophet" Jennings.

<i>Charles Mingus Presents Charles Mingus</i> 1960 studio album by Charles Mingus

Charles Mingus Presents Charles Mingus is an album by the jazz double bassist and composer Charles Mingus, recorded in October 1960 and released in December of the same year. The quartet of Mingus, multi-instrumentalist Eric Dolphy, trumpeter Ted Curson, and drummer Dannie Richmond constituted Mingus' core working band at the time, and had been performing the material on this album for weeks at The Showplace in New York. To recreate this atmosphere, Mingus introduces the songs as if he were speaking to the audience, even admonishing them to not applaud or rattle their glasses. This explains why the recordings on Presents would seemingly give off the illusion of a live album, when in fact it is a studio album.

<i>Iron Man</i> (Eric Dolphy album) 1968 studio album by Eric Dolphy

Iron Man is an album by American jazz multi-instrumentalist Eric Dolphy, recorded in 1963 and released by the Douglas International label in 1968. The album was reissued on disc two of Musical Prophet: The Expanded 1963 New York Studio Sessions, released in 2018 by Resonance Records.

<i>The Illinois Concert</i> 1999 live album by Eric Dolphy

The Illinois Concert is a live jazz recording of a concert by Eric Dolphy, released in 1999 by Blue Note Records. The album was recorded on March 10, 1963, at the University of Illinois in Champaign, Illinois and features Dolphy with pianist Herbie Hancock, bassist Eddie Khan, and drummer J.C. Moses. The quartet is joined by the University of Illinois Brass Ensemble for one track, and by the University of Illinois Big Band for the final track. The tape of the concert, which was recorded for radio broadcast, did not surface until 1999, when it was mentioned in a chat room and was eventually brought to the attention of Michael Cuscuna.

<i>The Body & the Soul</i> 1964 album by Freddie Hubbard

The Body & the Soul is an album by trumpeter Freddie Hubbard recorded in 1963 as his second and last release on the Impulse! label. It features performances by Hubbard with an orchestra and string section, and with a septet featuring Curtis Fuller, Eric Dolphy, Wayne Shorter, Cedar Walton, Reggie Workman and Louis Hayes.

<i>Far Cry</i> (album) 1962 studio album by Eric Dolphy

Far Cry is the third album by jazz musician Eric Dolphy, released in 1962 on New Jazz Featuring a quintet co-led with trumpeter Booker Little, it is one of the few recordings of their partnership. Pianist Jaki Byard, bassist Ron Carter and drummer Roy Haynes all return from earlier Dolphy albums. This was a busy time for Dolphy- he took part in Ornette Coleman's Free Jazz session and recorded this album on the same day, and had participated in the Jazz Abstractions project the previous day.

<i>Here and There</i> (Eric Dolphy album) 1966 live album by Eric Dolphy

Here and There is a jazz album by multi-instrumentalist Eric Dolphy. It was originally released in 1966 on the Prestige label as PRLP 7382. It contains tracks recorded on three separate dates, in different locations. Mal Waldron's "Status Seeking" and Dolphy's solo bass clarinet version of Billie Holiday's "God Bless the Child" were recorded on July 16, 1961 at the Five Spot in New York City as part of the concert that was documented on the At the Five Spot recordings. "April Fool" and "G.W. " were recorded on April 1, 1960 at Van Gelder Studio in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey as part of the session that yielded Outward Bound, Dolphy's first album as a leader. "Don't Blame Me" was recorded on September 6, 1961 in Berlingske Has, Copenhagen, Denmark during Dolphy's second European tour, as part of the sessions that produced Eric Dolphy in Europe Volumes 1-3.

<i>Conversations</i> (Eric Dolphy album) 1963 studio album by Eric Dolphy

Conversations is a 1963 album by American jazz multi-instrumentalist, Eric Dolphy first released by the FM label and later reissued by Vee-Jay as The Eric Dolphy Memorial Album the following year. The album was reissued on disc one of Musical Prophet: The Expanded 1963 New York Studio Sessions, released in 2018 by Resonance Records.

<i>Last Date</i> (Eric Dolphy album) 1965 live album by Eric Dolphy

Last Date is a live album by jazz musician Eric Dolphy released in early 1965 on Limelight Records. It was recorded on June 2, 1964 in Hilversum, North Holland, shortly after Dolphy had settled in Paris, France, following a tour with Charles Mingus. Dolphy is accompanied by the Misha Mengelberg trio on the album.. The audience was an invited group of recording executives and studio personnel.

<i>Where?</i> (album) 1961 studio album by Ron Carter with Eric Dolphy and Mal Waldron

Where? is the debut album by bassist Ron Carter recorded in 1961 at Van Gelder Studio and released on the New Jazz label. Some reissues of the album appear under Eric Dolphy's name.

<i>Caribé</i> 1961 studio album by The Latin Jazz Quintet and Eric Dolphy

Caribé is an album by the Latin Jazz Quintet with Eric Dolphy that was recorded in 1960 and released on the New Jazz label in February 1961.

<i>Naima</i> (Eric Dolphy album) 1987 studio album by Eric Dolphy

Naima is an album by American musician Eric Dolphy, released in Europe in 1987 by the Jazzway label, and later by the West Wind label. Four of the five tracks were recorded on June 11, 1964 in a Paris studio for radio broadcast, nine days after the Hilversum session that yielded Last Date, and eighteen days before Dolphy's death. The remaining track, a duet with bassist Ron Carter, was recorded in New York City in November 1960, during a session which also produced three of the tracks released on Other Aspects.

<i>Unrealized Tapes</i> 1988 studio album by Eric Dolphy

Unrealized Tapes is an album by American musician Eric Dolphy, released in Europe in 1988 by the West Wind label, and in Japan with the title Last Recordings by the DIW label. The album was recorded on June 11, 1964 in a Paris studio for radio broadcast, nine days after the Hilversum session that yielded Last Date, and eighteen days before Dolphy's death.

<i>The Complete Uppsala Concert</i> 2005 live album by Eric Dolphy

The Complete Uppsala Concert is a double-CD live album by Eric Dolphy. It was recorded on September 4, 1961, at Västmanlands-Dala Nation, Uppsala, Sweden, and was released by Gambit Records in 2005. The album, which features one original tune plus eight performances of standards, was recorded during Dolphy's second visit to Europe, and showcases local musicians Rony Johansson on piano, Kurt Lindgren on bass, and Rune Carlsson on drums.

<i>Stockholm Sessions</i> 1981 studio album by Eric Dolphy

Stockholm Sessions is an album by Eric Dolphy. It was recorded in September and November 1961 at the Swedish Broadcast station in Stockholm, Sweden, and was released by Inner City Records and Enja Records in 1981. The album was recorded during Dolphy's second visit to Europe.

<i>The Berlin Concerts</i> 1978 live album by Eric Dolphy

The Berlin Concerts is a two-LP live album by Eric Dolphy. It was recorded on August 30, 1961, at two separate venues in Berlin, Germany, and was released by Inner City Records and Enja Records in 1978.

<i>Eric Dolphy in Europe</i> 1964 live album by Eric Dolphy

Eric Dolphy in Europe, Volumes 1, 2, and 3, is a trio of live albums by jazz multi-instrumentalist Eric Dolphy. The albums were recorded on September 6 and 8, 1961, in Copenhagen, Denmark, and were released on the Prestige label in 1964 and 1965. On the recordings, Dolphy is joined by three Danish musicians: pianist Bent Axen, bassist Erik Moseholm, and drummer Jorn Elniff. Bassist Chuck Israels, who was in Copenhagen with the Jerome Robbins ballet company, also appears on one track.

References

  1. 1 2 "Dolphy, Eric". Schwann Long Playing Record Catalog . Boston: W. Schwann, Inc. 17 (3). 1965. Retrieved 18 June 2019.
  2. 1 2 Hentoff, Nat (28 September 1961). "Record Notes". The Reporter . New York: Reporter Magazine Co.
  3. 1 2 Nastos, Michael G. "Eric Dolphy: Out There". AllMusic. Retrieved October 25, 2020.
  4. 1 2 Williams, Martin (September 28, 1961). "Eric Dolphy: Out There". DownBeat . Vol. 28, no. 20. p. 30.
  5. ↑ Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian (2008). The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings (9th ed.). Penguin. p. 382. ISBN   978-0-141-03401-0.
  6. ↑ Swenson, J., ed. (1985). The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide. USA: Random House/Rolling Stone. p. 62. ISBN   0-394-72643-X.
  7. ↑ "New Jazz Label Discography" (PDF). Both Sides Now Publications. Retrieved 18 June 2019.
  8. ↑ "Product Details". Out There. Retrieved 2007-10-28.
  9. ↑ van de Linde, François (April 21, 2016). "Richard "Prophet" Jennings". FlopHouseMagazine.com. Retrieved October 25, 2020.
  10. ↑ Simosko, Vladimir; Tepperman, Barry (1971). Eric Dolphy: A Musical Biography & Discography. Da Capo. p. 48.
  11. 1 2 Marsh, Peter (2002). "Eric Dolphy Out There Review". BBC.co.uk. Retrieved June 26, 2020.
  12. ↑ Simosko, Vladimir; Tepperman, Barry (1971). Eric Dolphy: A Musical Biography & Discography. Da Capo. p. 49.
  13. ↑ Layman, Will (June 4, 2006). "Out There/Eric Dolphy Out There [Rudy Van Gelder Remasters]". PopMatters. Retrieved October 25, 2020.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.