There are few saxophonists who were able to hold their own against the late great Eric Dolphy. Clifford Jordan is one of them. As a member of the Charles Mingus sextet on his legendary 1964 European tour with Eric Dolphy, Jordan is featured on iconic albums such as The Great Concert of Charles Mingus and Town Hall Concert. Born in 1931, the tenor saxophonist was a giant of the hard bop genre, with an adaptable style that could match the earthsy avant-blues of Mingus, or soar into space alongside Dolphy.
In The World, Jordan’s first album for Strata-East and the first in the seminal Eric Dolphy series, sees the saxophonist lead two different ensembles, featuring talents such as Don Cherry (tp.), Kenny Dorham (tp.), Wynton Kelly (pf.), Richard Davis (b.), Al Heath (ds.), and more! Album opener “Vienna” is a Jordan composition, a 17 minute waltz that starts almost pensive, but gradually increases in intensity until the sextet reaches a roaring climax mid-way through the song. Jordan plays his horn as if he’s yearning for something, deftly weaving arpeggios with upper register acrobatics in one of the finest solos of his career. Cherry is in top shape as well, with his instantly recognizable playing adding a welcome dose of avant-garde.

On the C-side, Ouagoudougou is another extended Jordan composition, with another fantastic solo from Jordan opening the solo section. Yet Dorham’s playing soon takes center stage, with the trumpeter showing a side to his playing that rarely appears on his best-known records. You can practically hear Dorham straining as his solo flies upwards, giving it an aggression vastly unlike much of the Blue Bossa trumpeter’s studio output.

For the first time ever, Clifford Jordan In The World is going to be reissued as 2xLP on audiophile-grade vinyl, complete with an iconic Japanese obi-strip! Our 2019 reissue sold out almost immediately – so make sure to get this one while you can!