Eric Dolphy: Out to Lunch

Indeed, sir. Indeed.

Right from the 9/4 tumbling, tilted sounds of the Monk-inspired “Hat and Beard” Out to Lunch plays unlike anything else, otherworldly music, music with an historical progression unlike our own. While it is somewhat structured, it sounds freer than most free jazz in its interplay and wild abandon. It is avant-garde as opposed to experimental, in that there is no experimenting going on, just sturdy assuredness and ability confidently displayed in the business of pushing boundaries further than anyone has pushed them before.

Lord, what a session. Bobby Hutcherson’s vibes are startling and attention-getting. Take the moment he enters on “Hat and Beard” with one sharp tap slicing in between the rhythm the rest of the band was establishing. Or the peculiar, sharp-angled melody he and Dolphy (on flute) lock into in the beginning of “Gazzelloni” before ricocheting off into a background rhythm. Tony Williams on drums frequently eschews traditional rhythm for baffling rapid-fire runs or teetering shifts that pull the compositions over on their side. Dolphy, whether on flute, clarinet, or saxophone is the maniacal, ever-whirling centre, a flurry of activity around which the rest turns. ‘Iron man’ Richard Davis is often in another universe with the tense, tightly-wound, occasionally thunderous, bass murder music he slides under everything, when he isn’t engaging in tight duels with Williams over rhythm control. Freddie Hubbard blows loping circles around everything

Like the seven-handed clock on the cover, this is music that is going everywhere in space and time. On “Something Sweet, Something Tender” Hubbard hints at lullabies with his trumpet, but Davis is scaling the walls and Dolphy is far too excited to get to sleep. Lord only knows what alarming activities Hutcherson is planning lurking about with those vibes. “Straight Up and Down” they all sway and weave under the intoxication of their own psychic powers. Wouldn’t you?

Perfect => *****

~ by jshopa on July 13, 2008.