Last recordings

Last recordings
Studio album by Eric Dolphy
Publication (s)	1988
Label (s)	West wind
Genre (s)	jazz
Title (number)	4th
occupation	Eric Dolphy : Alto saxophone ([2], [3]) and bass clarinet ([1], [4], as well as in the second part of [2]) Donald Byrd : Trumpet Nathan Davis : Tenor Saxophone (only [1] and [2]) Jack Diéval : Piano Jacques B. Hess : Bass Franco Manzecchi : drums Jacky Bambou: Congas (only [3])
Studio (s)	Live 1964
chronology Last date Last recordings -

Last Recordings is the last album by American free jazz artist Eric Dolphy . It shows Dolphy as an improviser, composer and band leader .

History of origin

On June 3, 1964, the day after he had recorded six songs with Misha Mengelberg , Jacques Schols and Han Bennink in Hilversum (the album was released in the 1960s under the title Last Date on the "Fontana" label), Eric left Dolphy Holland. He flew to Paris to work with fellow countrymen Nathan Davis and Donald Byrd and a European rhythm section consisting of Jack Diéval , Jacques B. Hess and Franco Manzecchi . With this line-up, Dolphy was recorded for a radio show on June 11, 1964. The album with parts of this recording was first released in 1988 by West Wind (WW 2016); it was also released under the same title on the Japanese label DIW. Two other pieces that were recorded during the same radio production are also documented on sound carriers.

Eric Dolphy wrote all of the Last Recordings songs . In “Springtime”, a hitherto undocumented own composition, Eric Dolphy shows a rare color that is not very common for him; the piece is based on an intro based on bass clarinet trills on a shuffled tango ostinato . According to Bert Noglik , it is “a bit reminiscent of the Village Vanguard recordings with Coltrane and musically creates the image of last spring that Eric Dolphy experienced ten days before the start of summer, in Paris, the city of his choice, the year of his death. “The tracks“ GW ”(for Gerald Wilson ),“ 245 ”and“ Serene ”were first released on the albums Outward Bound and Out There , respectively , and Dolphy played them frequently on tours. "245" is played faster and more rhythmic on Last Recordings .

The titles

1. Springtime (19:11)
2. 245 (10:10)
3. GW (6:01)
4. Serene (7:43)

Editorial notes

In 1999, The Complete Last Recordings was released on the Japanese label Norma . This album includes all 6 tracks that were recorded on June 11, 1964. In addition, a version of the Coltrane title Naima (3:15 pm) and Byards Ode to Charlie Parker (5:31) are documented there; these titles are interpreted by the septet.

Web links

• Internet discography

Individual evidence

1. ^ Paul Karting documents and memories of Dolphy's tour in the Netherlands
2. ↑ The album was also sold under the title Unrealized Tapes . Graham Locke mentioned the recording as early as 1985 in The Wire magazine (No. 22): “These tapes still exist and are in the possession of Jacques Diéval, the French pianist who produced these sessions. Nathan [Davis] told me that Donald Byrd had persuaded firstly Blue Note, then Columbia, to try and obtain the tapes, but on each occasion Diéval had apparently refused to release the Dolphy tapes unless the record company agreed to issue several of his own tapes too. "
3. ↑ “Ode To Charlie Parker” by Jaki Byard and “Naima” by John Coltrane , published by Jazzway (MUTT 1502) and West Wind WW 2063, each under the title Naima .
4. ↑ B. Noglik Pioneering in all roles Jazzzeitung 3/06
5. ↑ Eric Dolphy The Complete Last Recordings