By the time he made Outward Bound, Eric Dolphy had left his native California and come east as part of Chico Hamilton’s group, eventually settling in New York as a key co-conspirator of Charles Mingus. This, his first recording as a leader, brought unavoidable comparisons to Ornette Coleman even though the two were really parallel figures in the then emerging avant-garde. Dolphy did not eschew changes as Coleman did, however, but used them in new exciting ways.
Originally released in 1960, the inventive Outward Bound is significant not only for Dolphy’s alto saxophone playing, but for his individual approach to the flute, and particularly the bass clarinet, not to mention a fine supporting cast that included Freddie Hubbard (trumpet), Jaki Byard (piano), George Tucker (bass) and Roy Haynes (drums).
Tracklist
- G.W.
- On Green Dolphin Street
- Les
- 245
- Glad to Be Unhappy
- Miss Toni
