Eric Dolphy: Freedom of Sound

In 2014, Seed Artists produced an historic celebration of visionary multi-instrumentalist and composer Eric Dolphy, whose tragic death in 1964, at just 36, left the jazz world wondering, “What if?”

On June 1 & 2, in partnership with School of Jazz and Contemporary Music at The New School College of Performing Arts, and United Artists for Humanity, nearly 40 brilliant artists will celebrate Dolphy’s singular voice from novel perspectives–in their own voices, not merely parroting his sound. Inspiration, not imitation. We think Dolphy would have appreciated that, and we are excited and honored to celebrate his underappreciated genius with you.

What will you experience? Unheard scores. Explorations of Dolphy’s little-known jam sessions with Cecil Taylor. Angelica Snchez’s revival of Geri Allen’s epic “Celebration Ensemble Suite for Eric Dolphy”–performed just once, 35 years ago. (Check out that lineup!) NEA Jazz Master Reggie Workman, who performed with Dolphy and Coltrane, in a new quartet. Don Byron’s quartet of bass clarinets. The Dolphy Trio, comprised of his three main instruments–alto sax, flute, bass clarinet. The blistering James Brandon Lewis Quartet performing new works created from Dolphy’s unfinished scores. The Dolphy String Quartet performing his unfinished “Love Suite” and other unheard works. Riveting solo sets from Eugene Chadbourne (guitar/banjo) and Patricia Brennan (marimba/electronics). Pioneering dancer/choreographer Dianne McIntyre with Seed’s own Pheeroan akLaff on drums. A New School group taught mentored by Pheeroan akLaff, fresh off a class created just for this festival, performing unrecorded Dolphy and a tribute from composer Hale Smith. And Dr. James Newton–Dolphy scholar, composer, educator, and one of the great all-time jazz flautists–lead a symposium with Reggie Workman and Nicole Mitchell, and a listening sessions with Seed’s resident jazz historian Peter Bodge, who created the stunning festival artwork.

DOLPHY

If you are interested in finding out more about Eric Dolphy, it’s easy enough to search your way into a Dolphy rabbit hole online. There isn’t much in the way of video–mostly a handful of Mingus concert videos featuring Dolphy–but the best accounting of what’s out there is the website of Alan Saul, who has done as much as anyone to keep alive the Dolphy flame. This is the Dolphy resource. Includes fine commentary from Alan. This is where you want to start.