Eric Dolphy

[Chuck Nessa]

Candid recording. Originally on "Mingus" and later in the Mosaic set.

[paul secor]

Candid recording. Originally on "Mingus" and later in the Mosaic set.

Available here: http://www.amazon.com/Mingus-Charles/dp/B000001V05/ref=pd_sim_m_2

[J.A.W.]

Oops, I should have known. I had Charles Mingus Presents Charles Mingus, which I played often, and I have the Mosaic Candid set.

[Milestones]

Some of the greatest Dolphy is with Mingus, including Mingus Presents Mingus: "Folks Forms" and "What Love?"

[jeffcrom]

Some of the greatest Dolphy is with Mingus....

In my "past life," I was very excited when the Mingus at Antibes double album was issued. My first wife examined the back cover and said, in an accusatory tone, as if she had "caught" me, "You just wanted this because it has Eric Dolphy on it!." Well, duh!

[JSngry]

Dolphy GREASY!

[flat5]

Did someone say Paul Stocker? Incredible saxophonist - where is he? I haven't seen him since 1988 in Amsterdam.

Paul has lived in Spain for over ten years. He uses the name Pablo Stocker there.

I'll PM his Facebook info.

and

http://paulstocker.com/

Edited December 22, 2012 by flat5

[CJ Shearn]

The rhythm section on "In Europe" doesn't really do it for me, I sold the discs, but "God Bless the Child" is still great on volume 1. I feel like they didn't really get the outside aspect of Eric's playing and they struggled. "Out to Lunch" though is a stone classic and immediately likeable for me. Had Eric lived, I wonder if he would have gone increasingly more towards completely outside playing, perhaps with a lot of European players, like Bennink.

[mracz]

Candid recording. Originally on "Mingus" and later in the Mosaic set.

Don't forget the astonishing bass clarinet/bass duet with Mingus on this album's What Love.

[mracz]

I know the OP was asking for his work as leader but I'll reccommend Oliver Nelson's "Straight Ahead" with Dolphy. Love his bass clarinet solo on the first track, Images. I'd also say check out Chico Hamilton's "The Original Ellington Suite". While not as "outside" It's still a pretty interesting take on some Ellington tunes.

Dolphy is on quite a few Hamilton recordings. There's a handy 2CD package on a Spanish label with all the studio tracks: Mode has a particularly fine alto solo, but there's a lot of other worthwhile stuff. These tracks give you a clear sense of where he was coming from. The full Newport set with Hamilton has also been issued, but I haven't heard it...

[AllenLowe]

love all Dolphy, but there's just something about that version of Stormy Weather (in Ab, IIRC, not the standard key). Beautifully recorded, all room sound, no isolation, when I was 15 I felt like I was standing next to those guys. Plus some incredible Mingus soloing; he's really the only bassist (other than Wilbur Ware) to whom I can listen solo for more than 8 bars.

Edited December 22, 2012 by AllenLowe

[Alexander Hawkins]

Huge fan (of course) here. Good call on 'Mingus at Antibes' - possibly my favourite Dolphy w/Mingus...he's absolutely blazing on that one...

YES on Hill's 'Point of Departure'.

And of course, huge fan of Outward Bound and Far Cry in particular (and WOW - Jaki Byard plays some incredible piano on these...)

Another standout track for me is 'Feathers' from 'Out There'.

p.s. Allen - and I have to relegate this to a p.s. to avoid massively derailing the discussion - but thinking of bassists, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_aGb53dNa6k?

[AllenLowe]

I am not, but will listen. You may have found the OTHER bassist I can listen to.

[Milestones]

Anyone with more thoughts on Dolphy's work with Trane? He is rather well-represented (finally) on the complete Village Vanguard sessions--though, if I recall correctly, there's no flute work there.

[Д.Д.]

The rhythm section on "In Europe" doesn't really do it for me, I sold the discs, but "God Bless the Child" is still great on volume 1. I feel like they didn't really get the outside aspect of Eric's playing and they struggled. "Out to Lunch" though is a stone classic and immediately likeable for me. Had Eric lived, I wonder if he would have gone increasingly more towards completely outside playing, perhaps with a lot of European players, like Bennink.

According to Sunny Murray (not exactly the most reliable source), Dolphy was supposed to join Albert Ayler quartet (Ayler-Peacock-Cherry-Murray) on tour in 1964.

What a loss to music, both him and Booker Little.

[JSngry]

Dolphy GREASY!

For real, and nobody talks about this part of his identity. It's not the first thing you think of with him. But I was at a party last week and somebody put on Far Cry, and I had to LOL more than once, Dolphy was playing some nasty, greasy stuff. It was the first time I had really heard him from that perspective, after all these years, but, yeah, Dolphy. GREASY!

[Guy Berger]

Anyone with more thoughts on Dolphy's work with Trane? He is rather well-represented (finally) on the complete Village Vanguard sessions--though, if I recall correctly, there's no flute work there.

He plays flute on Ole, Africa/Brass (I think) and live recordings of My Favorite Things from this period. I like his contributions but the Coltrane group got better after he left.

I would also say that while I like a fair amount of ED's 1960-61 work, his best stuff was mostly in 1963-64.

[mjzee]

Great discussion, guys. I'd only hope that in the future, the same sort of civil discussion could be had about Oscar Peterson or Keith Jarrett.

[king ubu]

...

2) DOLPHY DOLPHY DOLPHY - afer Sonny Rollins and Booker Ervin, my first musical crush. BUT - the best thing he ever did, no the best thing ever done, was Stormy Weather with Mingus. SImply the best jazz recording ever made. You could look it up.

...

love all Dolphy, but there's just something about that version of Stormy Weather (in Ab, IIRC, not the standard key). Beautifully recorded, all room sound, no isolation, when I was 15 I felt like I was standing next to those guys. Plus some incredible Mingus soloing; he's really the only bassist (other than Wilbur Ware) to whom I can listen solo for more than 8 bars.

Oh hellyeah, I hear you Allen! That performance was a major ear-opener for me, too, at about the same age. I remember buying that cheapo Mingus Compilation (this one) and that "Stormy Weather" really struck something within me. I must have bought my CD copy of "Mingus Presents Mingus" around the same time, but none of the tunes had that very same impact as "Stormy Weather" and it's to this day a favorite in all of music!

I am not, but will listen. You may have found the OTHER bassist I can listen to.

Oh yes, please do!

There are several places to check here:

Though none got too far ... there must be more hidden in other ZA jazz threads ... anyway, all his Steeplechase albums are recommmended! And anything you can get by the Blue Notes, too!

[ElginThompson]

Huge fan (of course) here. Good call on 'Mingus at Antibes' - possibly my favourite Dolphy w/Mingus...he's absolutely blazing on that one...

Amen. Possibly my favorite Dolphy anywhere ... although there are some astonishing solos on the new Mingus Mosaic.

Edited December 23, 2012 by Delightfulee

[Utevsky]

Dolphy has always been one of my favorites. His sound is so distinct and personal that I can always recognize him within seconds. His many recordings with Mingus and Coltrane, as well as his own Prestige albums, are treasures.

[Milestones]

Did Dolphy play much flute on the records with Oliver Nelson? I only remember "Stolen Moments" from The Blues and the Abstract Truth. They made several other records, though I only had one: Straight Ahead.

[six string]

On December 20, 2012 at 9:37 PM, jeffcrom said:

And do any of you know the 1967 "third stream" album Dedicated to Dolphy on the Cambridge label? It's so obscure that I couldn't find a cover picture online. I'm listening to it for the first time in a while, and wow - it's very good. There are five pieces written for or dedicated to Dolphy, by John Lewis, Harold Farberman, Gunther Schuller, and Bill Smith. Schuller contributes two compositions, and they're the only ones of which we have Dolphy recordings - "Night Music" and "Densities I" showed up years later on Vintage Dolphy.

 

For a "third stream" record, the music is pretty hot at times - the "jazz" portions swing hard. Jerome Richardson and Bill Smith take the Dolphy role on various tracks, and manage to suggest ED without copying him. My favorite bass player, Richard Davis, plays on every track, and is just awesome. Among the other jazz musicians present are Joe Newman, Bob Brookmeyer, Hubert Laws, Jim Hall, and Mel Lewis. This album is probably not to everyone's taste, and I don't know how hard/impossible it is to find, but to me, it's excellent.

 

I found a copy of this lp at my friend's shop yesterday or more accurately, Rick played it for me.  There seems to be very little info out there.  Discogs doesn't even list it.  It's very interesting.  Jerome Richardson plays with more fire than I'm used to hearing from him though it should be pointed out that no one tries to imitate Dolphy.  

Edited September 11, 2016 by six string

[paul secor]

Interview with Eric Dolphy done by Leonard Feather from the Mosaic Gazette: https://woodyshaw.com/blogs/news/the-eric-dolphy-interview

[Cyril]

Thanks for sharing, Paul.