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Friday 21 June 2024

DOLPHY is here!




Eric Dolphy appeared in 1928 in Los Angeles, California and disappeared in 1964 in Berlin, Germany. During his 36 years on our planet he played the alto saxophone, bass clarinet and flute. On a few occasions, he also played the clarinet and piccolo. He performed with avantgarde luminaries such as John Coltrane, Charles Mingus and Ornette Coleman. 


His recordings reveal the traces of a brilliant comet, burning with invention, knowledge and passion. Those who knew him remarked on his kindness and generosity. Facing discrimination in the larger society for the colour of his skin and within the jazz community for his nonconformist exploration, he relocated to Europe… where he shortly collapsed and died, from undiagnosed diabetes. But, who was he? Who was he? Who?

Aah… the music.


Matthew Brown, author and artist of “ORNETTE SPEAKS: A Cartoon Grammar,” continues his experimental comics documentary work with “TEARS FOR DOLPHY: The Appearance and Disappearance of Eric Dolphy.” Including a comics introduction explaining how the author discovered Eric Dolphy’s music, an impressionistic biography of poignant scenarios from Eric’s life, a song-by-song surrealist exploration of Eric’s masterpiece album “Out to Lunch!”, and exquisite drawings from historical photos, interspersed with quotations by and about Eric Dolphy.





An excellent introduction to Eric Dolphy’s work – and a valuable addition to the slim literature available on this giant of the human and jazz world.












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