245 album art

245

Eric Dolphy
Outward Bound (1960)
Moderate 71 BPM
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Song DNA

Dynamic Range6/10
Sudden Changesmild
Texturelayered
Predictabilitymedium
Vocal Styleinstrumental
Notes: Slow postbop jazz with dense note clusters and syncopated rhythms creates a contemplative yet urgent texture; alto sax lines feature intervallic leaps and pointillism without extreme volume shifts.

Misophonia Triggers

Mouth Soundsnone
Percussive Clicksnone
Breathing Soundsnone
Repetitive Micro-soundsnone

Postbop jazz composition inspired by Dolphy's Brooklyn address, featuring alto sax improvisation over a slow 4/4 groove with Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Jaki Byard on piano, and rhythm section.

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Moods: introspective, melancholy, reflective

Traditions: postbop

How this song sits on each sensory axis

A dynamic range of 6/10 means this song moves. Expect a real volume climb between quiet sections and the loudest part of the arrangement — enough that you may want to set the initial volume below where you'd normally land.

Sudden changes: mild. There are one or two transitions worth knowing about, though they're musically resolved rather than surprise-driven.

Texture is layered — a full arrangement with clear separation between parts.

Predictability is medium — conventional structure overall, with one or two moments that deviate from what you'd expect.

Vocal style: instrumental.

Where this sits in Eric Dolphy's catalog

We have 14 songs from Eric Dolphy in the library. Of those, 0 are rated Safe, 5 Moderate, and 9 Intense. This song's dynamic range of 6/10 sits below the artist average of 7.5, making it the #12 most dynamic track of theirs in our library.

Other tracks from Outward Bound

We have 3 songs from this album. Overall, the album leans moderate in sensory profile.

1960 context

Released in 1960. We have 91 songs from that year in our library, averaging a dynamic range of 6.1/10. This track is about average than the year average. Explore more from the 1960s.

Explore by mood and tradition

Moods
introspective · 5721melancholy · 5399reflective · 5792
Traditions
postbop · 5

Why this rating

We rate this song Moderate because it falls between our Safe and Intense thresholds on at least one dimension. Moderate is the default for most well-produced music that has real arc but no surprise elements. Full rubric: methodology.

Rating last reviewed: 2026-04-15. Reviewed by the Music I Want editorial team against the documented methodology.

Think this rating is wrong? Email the editor — every message is read and ratings get revised.

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layered texture, similar intensity — across any genre or era.

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The Mooche
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I Heard It Through the Grapevine
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moderate
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Safer alternatives with a similar feel

These songs share similar moods but with a gentler sensory profile.

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R.E.M. safe

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