Eric Dolphy assembled an exceptional quintet for 1964’s Out to Lunch!, joined by Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Bobby Hutcherson on vibraphone, Richard Davis on bass and Tony Williams on drums. Recorded at Rudy Van Gelder’s studio, its five Dolphy compositions push jazz into strange new territory without abandoning swing. From the skewed Thelonious Monk tribute Hat and Beard to the tumbling Straight Up and Down, Dolphy’s alto saxophone, flute and bass clarinet lead a restless, playful session that remains one of Blue Note’s great avant-garde statements.