Eric Dolphy

Eric Dolphy（1928—1964）生于洛杉磯。58年加入 Chico Hamilton 的樂團后，從60年起隨著參加 Charles Mingus 的團體，而與 Ornette Coleman 合演。后來組成自己的樂團。同時也和John Coltrane合奏。一面守著傳統(tǒng)的調(diào)性世界。一面注入新的手法，成為自從 Charlie Parker 以來，負責聯(lián)系 HARD BOP、MOOES 和 FREE 等革新性爵士的重要角色。 曾被Miles Davis指責，亦被權威爵士樂雜志形容為“反爵士”，Eric Dolphy因為他的前衛(wèi)樂風嚇跑不少傳統(tǒng)爵士樂衛(wèi)道之士，雖然如此他卻是世人公認前衛(wèi)爵士樂中僅次于薩克斯風手 Ornette Coleman 之天才樂手。以中音薩克斯風、長笛、低音黑管為主要吹奏樂器，Dolphy 雖然以不對稱節(jié)奏及自由旋律為創(chuàng)作訴求，但他的吹奏力度與薩克斯風巨人 Charlie Parker 相比實在不相伯仲。此外，他的音域控制技巧，可媲美任何硬式咆技術派樂手。1928年生于美國洛杉磯，Dolphy 于6歲時已經(jīng)參與專業(yè)的巡回演出。1958年參與 Chico Hamilton 大樂團，他的才藝足以使得這支原本就光芒四射的隊伍更見特殊。60年代的 Dolphy ，除了參與貝斯手 Charles Mingus 樂團工作之外，并與 Mal Waldron、Ron Carter、Jaki Byard 等樂手合作錄音工作。1961年他與小號手 Booker Little 的合作更激出燦爛的火花，雖然合作為期不到半年，但是他們在 Five Spot 的錄音演出卻成為現(xiàn)代爵士樂中的經(jīng)典作品。1964年，Dolphy的吹奏技巧已達爐火純清之境，這些可見于他的獨奏及雙重奏作品中，同年Dolphy亦不幸去世。
 
曾被Miles Davis指責，亦被權威爵士樂雜志形容為“反爵士”，Eric Dolphy因為他的前衛(wèi)樂風嚇跑不少傳統(tǒng)爵士樂衛(wèi)道之士，雖然如此他卻是世人公認為前衛(wèi)爵士樂中僅次于薩克斯風手Ornette Coleman之天才樂手。以中音薩克斯風、長笛、低音黑管為主要吹奏樂器，Dolphy雖然以不對稱節(jié)奏及自由旋律為創(chuàng)作訴求，但他的吹奏力度與薩克斯風巨人Charlie Parker相比實在不相伯仲。此外，他的音欲控制技巧，可媲美任何硬式咆勃技術派樂手。1928年生于美國洛杉磯，Dolphy于6歲時已經(jīng)參與專業(yè)的巡回演出。1958年參與Chico Hamilton大樂團，他的才藝足以使得這支原本就光芒四射的隊伍更見特殊。60年代的Dolphy，除了參與貝斯手Charles Mingus樂團工作之外，并與Mal Waldron、Ron Carter、Jaki Byard等樂手合作錄音工作。1961年與小號手Booker Little的合作更激出燦爛的火花，雖然合作為期不到半年，但是他們在Five Spot的錄音演出卻成為現(xiàn)代爵士樂中的經(jīng)典作品。1964年，Dolphy的吹奏技巧以達爐火純青之境，這些可見于他的獨奏及雙重奏作品中，同年Dolphy亦不幸去世。
 
by Scott Yanow
 
Eric Dolphy was a true original with his own distinctive styles on alto, flute, and bass clarinet. His music fell into the avant-garde category yet he did not discard chordal improvisation altogether (although the relationship of his notes to the chords was often pretty abstract). While most of the other free jazz players sounded very serious in their playing, Dolphys solos often came across as ecstatic and exuberant. His improvisations utilized very wide intervals, a variety of nonmusical speechlike sounds, and its own logic. Although the alto was his main axe, Dolphy was the first flutist to move beyond bop (influencing James Newton) and he largely introduced the bass clarinet to jazz as a solo instrument. He was also one of the first (after Coleman Hawkins) to record unaccompanied horn solos, preceding Anthony Braxton by five years.
 
Eric Dolphy first recorded while with Roy Porter & His Orchestra (1948-1950) in Los Angeles, he was in the Army for two years, and he then played in obscurity in L.A. until he joined the Chico Hamilton Quintet in 1958. In 1959 he settled in New York and was soon a member of the Charles Mingus Quartet. By 1960 Dolphy was recording regularly as a leader for Prestige and gaining attention for his work with Mingus, but throughout his short career he had difficulty gaining steady work due to his very advanced style. Dolphy recorded quite a bit during 1960-1961, including three albums cut at the Five Spot while with trumpeter Booker Little, Free Jazz with Ornette Coleman, sessions with Max Roach, and some European dates.
 
Late in 1961 Dolphy was part of the John Coltrane Quintet; their engagement at the Village Vanguard caused conservative critics to try to smear them as playing anti-jazz due to the lengthy and very free solos. During 1962-1963 Dolphy played third stream music with Gunther Schuller and Orchestra U.S.A., and gigged all too rarely with his own group. In 1964 he recorded his classic Out to Lunch for Blue Note and traveled to Europe with the Charles Mingus Sextet (which was arguably the bassists most exciting band, as shown on The Great Concert of Charles Mingus). After he chose to stay in Europe, Dolphy had a few gigs but then died suddenly from a diabetic coma at the age of 36, a major loss.
 
Virtually all of Eric Dolphys recordings are in print, including a nine-CD box set of all of his Prestige sessions. In addition, Dolphy can be seen on film with John Coltrane (included on The Coltrane Legacy) and with Mingus from 1964 on a video released by Shanachie.