Friday, September 24, 2010

Ted Curson: Tears for Dolphy (1964/2010)

Although the term "avant-garde" is used several times in the liner notes, this quartet outing by trumpeter Ted Curson, tenor saxophonist Bill Barron, bassist Herb Bushler and drummer Dick Berk actually falls between hard bop and free bop. Curson and Barron in particular made for a potent team and their interplay on nine originals (five by Curson, four by Barron) is quite impressive, swinging and occasionally witty. This CD reissue brings back the entire Tears for Dolphy album plus three of the six songs from the Flip Top LP, all recorded the same day. Although the title cut does not live up to its potential, such tunes as "Kassim," "7/4 Funny Time," "Quicksand" and "Searchin' for the Blues" manage to be both explorative and surprisingly accessible.
Tracklist
1. Kassim 7:42
2. East 6th Street 5:48
3. 7/4 Funny Time 5:29
4. Tears for Dolphy 8:32
5. Quicksand 6:40
6. Reava's Waltz 7:10
7. Searchin' for the Blues 7:43
8. Desolation 8:41
9. Light Blue 3:39
Personnel
Ted Curson — Trumpet
Bill Barron — Clarinet, Sax (Tenor)
Herb Bushler — Bass
Dick Berk — Drums
Tears for Dolphy
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