Eric Dolphy - 1928-1964

Collectables' reissue of the Eric Dolphy LP Conversations under the title 1928-1964 (his birth and death dates) is a bit curious, since the set is not an overview, but was recorded about a year before Dolphy's passing, and since Conversations has been released numerous times in one form or another (often under different album titles), this reissue is essentially unnecessary. Nonetheless, Dolphy's playing on these recordings is phenomenal, and the set is a diverse cross-section of what Dolphy was capable of -- showcasing his fluidity in a group setting on "Jitterbug Waltz" with a young Bobby Hutcherson and Woody Shaw alongside, then with an entirely different cache of musicians for "Music Matador," followed by an astonishing duet with bassist Richard Davis, and a solo alto run-through of "Love Me." The separate approaches to each of the four tracks makes this feel like a compilation (though, as stated, it is not) and therefore a nice platform for many of Eric Dolphy's amenities to co-exist. Read More