ERIC DOLPHY

Hard Bop / Avant-Garde Jazz / Post Bop • United States

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Eric Allan Dolphy (June 20, 1928 – June 29, 1964) was a jazz musician who played alto saxophone, flute and bass clarinet and was educated at Los Angeles City College. Dolphy was the first important bass clarinet soloist in jazz, and one of the first viable flute soloists in jazz. On early recordings, he occasionally played traditional B-flat clarinet. His unique and individual style utilized wide intervals, speech-like effects and exotic scales.

Classical music played a large role in Dolphy's early training and remained important to him. Dolphy performed and recorded Edgard Varese's Density 21.5 for solo flute as well as other classical[ works, and participated heavily in third stream efforts. Dolphy's work is sometimes classified as free jazz, though he insisted that his compositions and solos were grounded in a thorough, if occasionally unorthodox, use of harmony. He is often compared to Ornette Coleman.

Numerous recordings were read more...

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Eric Dolphy - Musical Prophet: The Expanded 1963 New York Studio Sessions (The Story) online metal music video by ERIC DOLPHY

Eric Dolphy - Musical Prophet: The Expanded 1963 New York Studio Sessions (The Story)
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Eric Dolphy - Love Me online metal music video by ERIC DOLPHY

Eric Dolphy - Love Me
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Eric Dolphy - Iron Man (1963 album) online metal music video by ERIC DOLPHY

Eric Dolphy - Iron Man (1963 album)
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Eric Dolphy- 245 (1961 30 August: Dolphy Quintet Berlin broadcast) online metal music video by ERIC DOLPHY

Eric Dolphy- 245 (1961 30 August: Dolphy Quintet Berlin broadcast)
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ERIC DOLPHY Discography

ERIC DOLPHY albums / top albums

4.07 | 7 ratings

Outward Bound
Hard Bop 1960

4.36 | 7 ratings

Out There
Post Bop 1960

ERIC DOLPHY Far Cry (with Booker Little) album cover

4.38 | 7 ratings

Far Cry (with Booker Little)
Post Bop 1962

ERIC DOLPHY The Eric Dolphy Memorial Album (aka Conversations aka 1928-1964 aka Memorial aka Music Matador aka Jitterbug Waltz) album cover

4.00 | 3 ratings

The Eric Dolphy Memorial Album (aka Conversations aka 1928-1964 aka Memorial aka Music Matador aka Jitterbug Waltz)
Post Bop 1963

4.60 | 57 ratings

'Out to Lunch!'
Avant-Garde Jazz 1964

4.00 | 4 ratings

Iron Man
Post Bop 1968

0.00 | 0 ratings

Dash One
Post Bop 1982

4.00 | 2 ratings

Other Aspects
Avant-Garde Jazz 1987

ERIC DOLPHY Candid Dolphy (aka Quiet Please) album cover

4.00 | 1 ratings

Candid Dolphy (aka Quiet Please)
Hard Bop 1989

0.00 | 0 ratings

Muses
Avant-Garde Jazz 2013

ERIC DOLPHY EPs & splits

ERIC DOLPHY live albums

ERIC DOLPHY Eric Dolphy at the Five Spot Vol.1 album cover

4.25 | 6 ratings

Eric Dolphy at the Five Spot Vol.1
Hard Bop 1961

ERIC DOLPHY Eric Dolphy in Europe album cover

0.00 | 0 ratings

Eric Dolphy in Europe
Hard Bop 1962

ERIC DOLPHY Eric Dolphy at the Five Spot, Volume 2 album cover

4.17 | 6 ratings

Eric Dolphy at the Five Spot, Volume 2
Hard Bop 1964

4.75 | 4 ratings

Last Date
Avant-Garde Jazz 1964

ERIC DOLPHY Eric Dolphy & Booker Little ‎: Memorial Album Recorded Live At The Five Spot album cover

4.50 | 1 ratings

Eric Dolphy & Booker Little ‎: Memorial Album Recorded Live At The Five Spot
Hard Bop 1964

ERIC DOLPHY Eric Dolphy in Europe, Volume 1 (aka In Copenhagen 1961) album cover

3.50 | 1 ratings

Eric Dolphy in Europe, Volume 1 (aka In Copenhagen 1961)
Hard Bop 1964

ERIC DOLPHY Eric Dolphy in Europe, Volume 2 album cover

4.43 | 3 ratings

Eric Dolphy in Europe, Volume 2
Hard Bop 1965

ERIC DOLPHY In Europe / Volume 3. album cover

0.00 | 0 ratings

In Europe / Volume 3.
Hard Bop 1965

4.00 | 1 ratings

Here and There
Hard Bop 1966

ERIC DOLPHY Playing: Epistrophy, June 1, 1964 In Eindhoven, Holland (with Misha Mengelberg / Jacques Schols / Han Bennink) album cover

0.00 | 0 ratings

Playing: Epistrophy, June 1, 1964 In Eindhoven, Holland (with Misha Mengelberg / Jacques Schols / Han Bennink)
Avant-Garde Jazz 1974

4.50 | 1 ratings

Berlin Concerts
Avant-Garde Jazz 1977

ERIC DOLPHY Quartet 1961 (aka Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise aka Complete Recordings aka Live In Germany aka Munich Jam Session December 1-1961,etc,etc) album cover

4.00 | 1 ratings

Quartet 1961 (aka Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise aka Complete Recordings aka Live In Germany aka Munich Jam Session December 1-1961,etc,etc)
Hard Bop 1981

ERIC DOLPHY Stockholm Sessions album cover

4.38 | 4 ratings

Stockholm Sessions
Hard Bop 1981

4.00 | 1 ratings

Vintage Dolphy
Avant-Garde Jazz 1986

0.00 | 0 ratings

Naïma
Post Bop 1987

ERIC DOLPHY Unrealized Tapes (aka Last Recordings) album cover

0.00 | 0 ratings

Unrealized Tapes (aka Last Recordings)
Avant-Garde Jazz 1988

ERIC DOLPHY Live In New York (aka Gaslight 1962 aka Eric Dolphy Quintet's Complete Recordings Featuring Herbie Hancock aka Left Alone) album cover

0.00 | 0 ratings

Live In New York (aka Gaslight 1962 aka Eric Dolphy Quintet's Complete Recordings Featuring Herbie Hancock aka Left Alone)
Avant-Garde Jazz 1990

ERIC DOLPHY The Illinois Concert album cover

4.50 | 3 ratings

The Illinois Concert
Hard Bop 1999

ERIC DOLPHY The Complete Last Recordings in Hilversum & Paris 1964 album cover

0.00 | 0 ratings

The Complete Last Recordings in Hilversum & Paris 1964
Avant-Garde Jazz 2010

0.00 | 0 ratings

Timespan
Post Bop 2012

ERIC DOLPHY demos, promos, fans club and other releases (no bootlegs)

ERIC DOLPHY re-issues & compilations

0.00 | 0 ratings

Guest Artist "Cannonball" Adderly
Hard Bop 1968

ERIC DOLPHY Eric Dolphy And Booker Ervin With The Mal Waldron Sextet : The Quest album cover

0.00 | 0 ratings

Eric Dolphy And Booker Ervin With The Mal Waldron Sextet : The Quest
Post Bop 1968

ERIC DOLPHY At Five Spot (aka The Great Concert Of Eric Dolphy) album cover

4.50 | 1 ratings

At Five Spot (aka The Great Concert Of Eric Dolphy)
Avant-Garde Jazz 1971

4.00 | 1 ratings

Eric Dolphy
Post Bop 1972

ERIC DOLPHY Eric Dolphy With Ron Carter ‎: Where? album cover

0.00 | 0 ratings

Eric Dolphy With Ron Carter ‎: Where?
Post Bop 1972

ERIC DOLPHY Copenhagen Concert album cover

4.00 | 1 ratings

Copenhagen Concert
Hard Bop 1973

ERIC DOLPHY Eric Dolphy / Ron Carter – Magic album cover

0.00 | 0 ratings

Eric Dolphy / Ron Carter – Magic
Post Bop 1975

0.00 | 0 ratings

Jitterbug Waltz
Avant-Garde Jazz 1976

4.00 | 1 ratings

Status
Hard Bop 1977

3.50 | 1 ratings

Fire Waltz
Hard Bop 1978

ERIC DOLPHY I Grandi Del Jazz album cover

0.00 | 0 ratings

I Grandi Del Jazz
Post Bop 1980

ERIC DOLPHY Eric Dolphy With The Latin Jazz Quintet : Caribé album cover

3.50 | 1 ratings

Eric Dolphy With The Latin Jazz Quintet : Caribé
Latin Jazz 1980

0.00 | 0 ratings

"Live" 1961
Post Bop 1984

ERIC DOLPHY Five Spot Cafe, New York City, July 16, 1961 album cover

0.00 | 0 ratings

Five Spot Cafe, New York City, July 16, 1961
Hard Bop 1990

ERIC DOLPHY The Essential Eric Dolphy album cover

3.57 | 2 ratings

The Essential Eric Dolphy
Hard Bop 1991

0.00 | 0 ratings

Stormy Weather
Post Bop 1991

ERIC DOLPHY Truth (With Chico Hamilton Quintet) album cover

0.00 | 0 ratings

Truth (With Chico Hamilton Quintet)
Cool Jazz 1991

ERIC DOLPHY Eric Dolphy (1958-1961) album cover

0.00 | 0 ratings

Eric Dolphy (1958-1961)
Post Bop 1995

ERIC DOLPHY The Complete Prestige Recordings album cover

0.00 | 0 ratings

The Complete Prestige Recordings
Post Bop 1995

ERIC DOLPHY Hot, Cool & Latin album cover

4.17 | 2 ratings

Hot, Cool & Latin
Latin Jazz 1996

ERIC DOLPHY Original Jazz Classics Collection album cover

0.00 | 0 ratings

Original Jazz Classics Collection
Hard Bop 1997

0.00 | 0 ratings

Dolphy Sound
Avant-Garde Jazz 1998

0.00 | 0 ratings

Wherever I Go
Post Bop 2000

ERIC DOLPHY New York Sessions 1963 album cover

0.00 | 0 ratings

New York Sessions 1963
Avant-Garde Jazz 2002

ERIC DOLPHY Prestige Profiles, Volume 5: Eric Dolphy album cover

0.00 | 0 ratings

Prestige Profiles, Volume 5: Eric Dolphy
Hard Bop 2005

ERIC DOLPHY Eric Dolphy (2005) album cover

0.00 | 0 ratings

Eric Dolphy (2005)
Avant-Garde Jazz 2005

ERIC DOLPHY Outward Bound :Prestige RVG Remasters Series} album cover

4.50 | 1 ratings

Outward Bound :Prestige RVG Remasters Series}
Hard Bop 2006

ERIC DOLPHY Play Kurt Weill (with John Lewis) album cover

0.00 | 0 ratings

Play Kurt Weill (with John Lewis)
Post Bop 2008

ERIC DOLPHY The Uppsala Concert Vol. 2 album cover

0.00 | 0 ratings

The Uppsala Concert Vol. 2
Avant-Garde Jazz 2009

ERIC DOLPHY The Complete Latin Jazz Sides album cover

0.00 | 0 ratings

The Complete Latin Jazz Sides
Latin Jazz 2009

ERIC DOLPHY At the Five Spot: Complete Edition album cover

4.50 | 1 ratings

At the Five Spot: Complete Edition
Post Bop 2011

ERIC DOLPHY Out There + Looking Ahead album cover

0.00 | 0 ratings

Out There + Looking Ahead
Post Bop 2011

ERIC DOLPHY In Europe: The Complete 1961 Copenhagen Concerts album cover

0.00 | 0 ratings

In Europe: The Complete 1961 Copenhagen Concerts
Hard Bop 2012

ERIC DOLPHY Musical Prophet : The Expanded 1963 New York Studio Sessions album cover

5.00 | 2 ratings

Musical Prophet : The Expanded 1963 New York Studio Sessions
Post Bop 2018

ERIC DOLPHY singles (0)

ERIC DOLPHY movies (DVD, Blu-Ray or VHS)

0.00 | 0 ratings

In Europe 1961-1964
Post Bop 2006

0.00 | 0 ratings

Stockholm 1964 & Antibes 1960
Hard Bop 2007

0.00 | 0 ratings

So Long Eric
Post Bop 2008

ERIC DOLPHY Reviews

ERIC DOLPHY Quartet 1961 (aka Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise aka Complete Recordings aka Live In Germany aka Munich Jam Session December 1-1961,etc,etc)

Live album · 1981 · Hard Bop

Mssr_Renard

This archival live-album has three long songs (standards) on three sides. On vinyl it is tricky to have more than 20 minutes on each side, because it effects the soundquality.

As these recordings date from 1961, it in fact sounds surprisingly good. But don't expect too much, because it has its flaws. Still it is an enjoyable listen, once you are used to it.

The line-up is superb. Here Dolphy (on bass-clarinet only) has a strong line-up with McCoy Tyner (named Lalo Schifrin on the sleeve) on piano, who has some very long and outstanding solos. On bass no other than Reggie Workman (named Bob Cunningham on the sleeve) and on drums Mel Lewis.

My guess is that Reggie and McCoy used aliasses because of their contracts.

Dolphy was touring with Coltrane in Europe at this moment, and Reggie and McCoy joined Dolphy on this date. It would have been great if Elvin Jones would have participated aswell.

This livealbum is fantastic and a must-have for collectors of Dolphy, Tyner and a missing piece in the Coltrane-discography

1 year ago
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Report #549765

ERIC DOLPHY Musical Prophet : The Expanded 1963 New York Studio Sessions

Boxset / Compilation · 2018 · Post Bop

In early July 1963 Eric Dolphy went into the studio and recorded several new tunes as well as a couple of covers. He worked with a variety of ensembles ranging from mini big band to smaller combos, as well as several duets with bassist Richard Davis. Several tracks were selected from that session and released on the album that came to be known as “Conversations”. Several years after Eric’s death, more of the session was released under the title “Iron Man”. Recently the good folks at Resonance collected all these recordings together, plus some other odds and ends and a few alternate takes and released the whole thing as “Eric Dolphy Musical Prophet”, and needless to say, this sucker is bursting with goodness.

Its nice to have all these recordings in one place now because the previous albums were sometimes frustrating in what was kept and what was left out, now its all here in one package. The variety on this CD is admirable. For those who like Eric’s bebop side there’s “Jitterbug Waltz” and “Iron Man”. Dolphy displays his ultra modern compositional style with “Mandrake” and “Burning Spear” and his duets with Richard Davis show a deep meditative side that results in chamber music of concert hall quality. There is one track taken from a different recording session, and that is “A Personal Statement”, an avant-garde tone poem that features vocalist David Schwartz vocalizing lyrics about Jim Crow laws in the US south.

For Eric Dolphy fans and those interested in the more experimental side of 60s jazz, this collection is essential. Of most interest to many of us is how advanced many of Eric’s compositions were. Listening to how he shifts time signatures and tempos while playing both inside and outside of the chord changes we hear much of what is happening in jazz today. Eric was not really a ‘free player’, and he was also far from conventional, instead, Dolphy had unique takes on composition and tonality that were decades ahead of his time.

more than 2 years ago
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Report #449634

ERIC DOLPHY The Eric Dolphy Memorial Album (aka Conversations aka 1928-1964 aka Memorial aka Music Matador aka Jitterbug Waltz)

Album · 1963 · Post Bop

Although its been known by many names over the years, the album that Eric Dolphy released in 1963 is mostly known by the title, “Conversations”, so that is the title we will use for this review. “Conversations” is a sort of pivotal album for Eric, coming after the expansive neo-bop of “Far Cry” and right before the avant-garde art jazz of 64’s “Out to Lunch”. “Conversations” does not possess the unity of those two, but instead is rather eclectic as it features both Dolphy’s bop side, as well as his more artsy ‘long haired’ leanings.

The album opens with the classic “Jitterbug Waltz”, played somewhat faithfully but with some decidedly ‘outside’ flourishes. Eric plays flute on here and turns in a dazzling solo. Woody Shaw also turns in a hot ride that toys endlessly with the original melody. Side one of the original LP closes out with “Musical Matador”, a rambling Caribbean number that features a rather large ensemble in joyous near cacophony. Side two features a lengthy duet with bassist Richard Davis that is neither free jazz, concert hall chamber music or relaxed post bop conversation, but contains elements of all of those. The album closes with Eric playing solo alto sax on a virtuoso and passionate rendition of “Love Me”.

The salient feature to “Conversations” is the second side on which Dolphy’s playing is isolated without a backing ensemble. It is on these tracks that his melodic skills are given free reign and the inventiveness of his playing achieves greater clarity.

more than 2 years ago
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Report #449380

ERIC DOLPHY Iron Man

Album · 1968 · Post Bop

Although it was not released until 1968, the tracks for Eric Dolphy’s “Iron Man” were recorded in 1963 at the same sessions that produced the album “Conversations”. This all went down about one year before Dolphy released his art jazz masterpiece, “Out to Lunch”, so needless to say, the material on “Iron Man” is outstanding and a must have for any Dolphy fan. Although Eric and Sun Ra are both well known leaders in the world of avant-garde jazz, you do not normally hear much similarities in their music, except on this CD on which Dolphy is working with a mini big band ensemble that often carries a very Ra like sound in its arrangements and orchestrations.

“Iron Man” opens with two high energy bebop numbers that show Dolphy taking the musical innovations of Charlie Parker just one step further. Both of these tracks are sheer joy and feature great solos from Eric, Woody Shaw and Bobby Hutcherson. The large horn ensemble on these two returns on “Burning Spear”, for an ambitious arrangement that sounds like some of today’s cutting edge jazz. Two other tracks feature Dolphy in ballad duets with bassist Richard Davis. These two songs are played a bit more straight ahead, but with no lack of melodic invention and creativity.

Some versions of “Iron Man” carry a bonus track called “A Personal Statement”. This one features Eric in duet with an opera singer and a small combo performing a bizarre waltz and some other strange stuff that would be hard to describe. This track displays Dolphy’s interest in the avant-garde concert hall music of his time. There is a piano player on this one that carries a strong Sun Ra influence, and surprise surprise, its Bob James, who would later go on to become one of the most successful money making pop jazz artists ever.

more than 2 years ago
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Report #439300

ERIC DOLPHY Status

Boxset / Compilation · 1977 · Hard Bop

After Erik Dolphy’s unexpected early death in 1964, record companies began to scrape together various recordings of his and group them together as “new” albums, “essential” collections, best ofs and so on. “Status” is a two record collection that Prestige put out in 1977 that combines two previous Dolphy albums; “Erik Dolphy in Europe Vol 2” and “Here and There”. “Here and There” in itself is sort of a throw together affair with four recordings from four different Dolphy led groups. Oddly enough, one of the songs on “Here and There” is an alternate take on “Don‘t Blame Me” from the same concert that makes up “Dolphy in Europe Vol 2”. Needless to say, when Prestige put the two albums together you end up with two different versions of “Don‘t Blame Me” recorded on the same night with the alternate version from “Here and There’ being the much better recording.

All of the songs on here are excellent with the incendiary “Status Seeking” with Mal Waldron and Booker Little, and the humorously bizarre “April Fool” with Jaki Byard taking top honors. On other cuts, Dolphy’s less famous European cohorts do a great job of hanging with Erik's high flight excursions, while wisely deciding not to try to emulate him. For Dolphy fans who prefer his alto sax playing, you get plenty of that on here, plus a good dose of flute and very little bass clarinet.

Slap together albums like this usually have little appeal to collectors, so they can be had at a very reasonable price. Compare that to Dolphy’s original albums which cost a fortune by now.