The American reed player and flutist Eric Dolphy was only 36 years old when he died in Berlin in 1964 on tour. He was diabetic, but as he was a black jazz musician they left it after him to be checked in the hospital where he was admitted into a coma. They thought he was on drugs. Teetotaler Dolphy had already left his mark on jazz music by then. He introduced the bass clarinet as a solo instrument
… and, shortly before his death, made the groundbreaking avant-garde jazz album (1964). The complete original masters of New York studio recordings from 1963, under the direction of producer , were recovered in a left-hand suitcase . Dolphy had invited a selection of young musicians to be a trumpet player , vibraphonist and saxophonist . We know parts of the albums Conversations (1963) and (1968), still compiled by Douglas . About 85 minutes of exclusive material was added to Musical Prophet. From loose, big band-like pieces to duo improvisations with his regular bass player , the lost talent of the regretted Dolphy is fully expressed. (MR)more
