About

Eric Dolphy's second album as a leader was recorded in 1960, while he was still playing with Charlie Mingus, and just before his association with Ornette Coleman on the legendary Free Jazz sessions. Much was made at the time of Dolphy's similarity to Ornette, but whereas Coleman's interest was in throwing out the rulebook and dispensing with chordal progressions, Dolphy's playing was still very much derived from bebop, though his distinctive approach pushed that envelope pretty hard.

On this session, he teamed up with drummer Roy Haynes, bassist George Duvivier and cellist Ron Carter. Carter's cello lends the proceedings an intimate chamber jazz feel, and his arco double stops bridge the gap between chordal and melody instrument. The leader shows his prowess on clarinets and flute as well as alto and his choice of weapon unsurprisingly determines the character of each piece, though not in predictable ways; his flute solos (particularly on Randy Weston's ballad "Sketch of Melba") are every bit as muscular and colourful as those played on the other horns. – BBC Music