Eric Dolphy

Eric Dolphy
Eric Dolphy
Background information
Birth name	Eric Allan Dolphy Jr.
Born	June 20, 1928; Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Died	June 29, 1964 (aged 36); West Berlin, West Germany
Genres	Jazz; avant-garde jazz; post-bop; third stream; free jazz;
Occupation(s)	Bandleader; composer; sideman;
Instrument(s)	Alto saxophone; bass clarinet; flute; soprano clarinet; baritone saxophone; piccolo;
Years active	1949–1964
Labels	Prestige; Blue Note; Limelight;
Website	www.bluenote.com/artist/eric-dolphy/
Education	Los Angeles City College

Eric Allan Dolphy Jr. (June 20, 1928 – June 29, 1964) was an American jazz multi-instrumentalist and bandleader. Primarily an alto saxophonist, bass clarinetist, and flautist,^[1] Dolphy was one of several multi-instrumentalists to gain prominence during the same era. His use of the bass clarinet helped to establish the unconventional instrument within jazz.^[2]^[3] Dolphy extended the vocabulary and boundaries of the alto saxophone, and was among the earliest significant jazz flute soloists.^[4]^[3]

His improvisational style was characterized by the use of wide intervals, in addition to employing an array of extended techniques to emulate the sounds of human voices and animals.^[5]^[6]^[7] He used melodic lines that were "angular, zigzagging from interval to interval, taking hairpin turns at unexpected junctures, making dramatic leaps from the lower to the upper register."^[6] Although Dolphy's work is sometimes classified as free jazz, his compositions and solos were often rooted in conventional (if highly abstracted) tonal bebop harmony.^[8]^[9]^[10]

^ Porter, Lewis (2001). "Dolphy, Eric (Allan)". In Kuhn, Laura (ed.). Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians. Vol. 2. New York: G. Schirmer, Inc. p. 903. OCLC 313884977.
^ Stephans, Michael (2013). Experiencing Jazz: A Listener's Companion. The Scarecrow Press. p. 237.
^ ^a ^b Erlewine, Michael; Bogdanov, Vladimir; Woodstra, Chris; Yanow, Scott, eds. (1996). All Music Guide to Jazz (2nd ed.). Miller Freeman. p. 205.
^ Stephans, Michael (2013). Experiencing Jazz: A Listener's Companion. The Scarecrow Press. pp. 234–235.
^ Stephans, Michael (2013). Experiencing Jazz: A Listener's Companion. The Scarecrow Press. p. 199.
^ ^a ^b Gioia, Ted (2011). The History of Jazz. Oxford University Press. p. 280.
^ Feather, Leonard; Gitler, Ira (1999). "Dolphy, Eric Allan". The Biographical Encyclopedia of Jazz. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 186.
^ Williams, Martin (1993). The Jazz Tradition. New York: Oxford University Press. pp. 249–250.
^ Deveaux, Scott; Giddins, Gary (2009). Jazz. W.W. Norton. p. 424.
^ Such, David (1993). Avant-Garde Jazz Musicians: Performing "Out There". Iowa City: University of Iowa Press. pp. 59–61.

[baker-1] Porter, Lewis (2001). "Dolphy, Eric (Allan)". In Kuhn, Laura (ed.). Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians. Vol. 2. New York: G. Schirmer, Inc. p. 903. OCLC 313884977.

[2] Stephans, Michael (2013). Experiencing Jazz: A Listener's Companion. The Scarecrow Press. p. 237.

[am_guide-3] Erlewine, Michael; Bogdanov, Vladimir; Woodstra, Chris; Yanow, Scott, eds. (1996). All Music Guide to Jazz (2nd ed.). Miller Freeman. p. 205.

[4] Stephans, Michael (2013). Experiencing Jazz: A Listener's Companion. The Scarecrow Press. pp. 234–235.

[5] Stephans, Michael (2013). Experiencing Jazz: A Listener's Companion. The Scarecrow Press. p. 199.

[gioiahist-6] Gioia, Ted (2011). The History of Jazz. Oxford University Press. p. 280.

[feather-7] Feather, Leonard; Gitler, Ira (1999). "Dolphy, Eric Allan". The Biographical Encyclopedia of Jazz. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 186.

[8] Williams, Martin (1993). The Jazz Tradition. New York: Oxford University Press. pp. 249–250.

[9] Deveaux, Scott; Giddins, Gary (2009). Jazz. W.W. Norton. p. 424.

[10] Such, David (1993). Avant-Garde Jazz Musicians: Performing "Out There". Iowa City: University of Iowa Press. pp. 59–61.

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