The Blues and the Abstract Truth
The Blues and the Abstract Truth is a 1961 jazz album by Oliver Nelson (tenor and alto sax). It also features contributions by Eric Dolphy (alto sax, flute), Freddie Hubbard (trumpet), George Barrow (baritone sax), Bill Evans (piano), Paul Chambers (bass) and Roy Haynes (drums). It's best-known song is Stolen Moments, which was a cover of a track by Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis.
In 2026, the album was included in the National Recording Registry by the US Library of Congress for being "culturally, historically and aesthetically important".
Frank Zappa
Zappa liked The Blues and the Abstract Truth. [1] [2] In 1989, he selected Stolen Moments from this album as one of the ten records he would take with him to a deserted island, during the radio show Castaway's Choice, hosted by John McNally. He also covered Stolen Moments on his album Broadway The Hard Way. [3]
Another album by Dolphy Zappa liked was Iron Man.
