Out to Lunch!

VINYL FORMAT. Out to Lunch stands as Eric Dolphy's magnum opus, an absolute pinnacle of avant-garde jazz in any form or era. Its rhythmic complexity was perhaps unrivaled since Dave Brubeck's Time Out, and its five Dolphy originals -- the jarring Monk tribute 'Hat and Beard,' the aptly titled 'Something Sweet, Something Tender,' the weirdly jaunty flute showcase 'Gazzelloni,' the militaristic title track, the drunken lurch of 'Straight Up and Down' -- were a perfect balance of structured frameworks, carefully calibrated timbres, and generous individual freedom.