Pianist Andrew Hill, whose cerebral, loosely hinged brand of jazz was an essential link between hard-bop and the avant-garde, recorded his seminal album Point of Departure on this day (March 21) in 1964. Released on the Blue Note label, the album included some of the top mainstream players of its day — including Kenny Dorham on trumpet, Tony Williams on drums and Joe Henderson on saxophone. But its intensity came from the inclusion of two free-jazz pioneers: Eric Dolphy on woodwinds and Richard Davis on bass. It proved to be a stimulating mix, and the resulting sound, while firmly planted in the post-bop tradition, is a clear gesture toward the future of jazz.