Eric Dolphy

[redmancba]

I'm curious as to what everyone thinks of him as
1) A sax player,

2) a multi-instrumentalist,

3) his style of playing (more outside jazz, if you will)

and
4) a band leader.

I just got into his stuff (Out To Lunch is all I have) and I just today realized that he played all those different instruments (sax, clarinet, flute, correct me if I missed some). I don't know much about him, so I was wondering the general opinion.

Thanks,
Conor.

 

[Bobby G]

I have "Out to Lunch", it's a good album. I like the idea of using vibes instead of piano, but the recording has very little bottom end, the bass sound is very thin.

I love Dolphy's bass clarinet playing, and flute also - there's a clip of him on 'Jazz on a Summer's Day' with the Chico Hamilton quintet playing some lovely flute.

I particularly like him with Charles Mingus (there's some great live stuff available) who's music and approach seem to suit Eric's explosive and expressive playing, and with Trane on things like Chasin the Trane, and India, another live piece featuring an oud, a kind of Indian drony twangy instrument that I think also featured in On The Road Again by Canned Heat.