Ted Curson - Tears For Dolphy (1964)

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. ~ by Scott Yanow, AMG.

Fontana, 688 310, 1965
Arista/Freedom, AL 1021, 1975
Black Lion Records, BLCD 760190, 1993
Recorded 1^st August 1964 At Acousti Studio, Paris, France 

Musicians:
Ted Curson - Trumpet (#1-4,6-9), Pocket Trumpet (#5)
Bill Barron - Tenor Saxophone, Clarinet (#5)
Herb Bushler - Bass
Dick Berk - Drums 

Tracks:
1. Kassim {Ted Curson} (7:41)
2. East 6th Street {Bill Barron} (5:39)
3. 7/4 Funny Time {Bill Barron} (5:28)
4. Tears For Dolphy {Ted Curson} (8:32)
5. Quicksand {Ted Curson} (6:40)
6. Reava's Waltz {Ted Curson} (7:11)
7. Searchin' For The Blues {Ted Curson} (7:48)
8. Desolation {Bill Barron} (8:46)
9. Light Blue {Bill Barron} (3:44) 

Total Time: 61:29

Credits:
Producer, Liner Notes - Alan Bates 

Notes:
Originally released on Freedom Records.
#7-9 not on original LP but previously released on Flip Top.