Search - Clifford Plus Eric Dolphy Brown :: Together

Dolphy Bootlegs I

Richard B. Luhrs | Jackson Heights, NY United States | 03/17/2006

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I give great credit to the tasteful and honest people who released this set, as it states right on the jewel case that these are "rare live recordings - only for collectors." The sound quality is indeed coarse (though still quite listenable for those of us who wish to listen), and in fact Eric Dolphy appears on only four of the seven tracks. What is perhaps even more noteworthy is that Clifford Brown, one of the most famed trumpeters in jazz, switches over to piano on three of these numbers - and DAMN, could he tickle those ivories! The presence of drummer Max Roach on two tracks, and tenor saxophonist Harold Land on four, would also seem to add much to this disc's appeal, though it is mentioned neither in the title of the CD nor on this Web page.

Anyway, technical minutiae and personnel specifics aside, this is indeed a rare and precious fossil for my fellow Dolphanatics and me: the only known recorded notes we have from the man between his 1949 debut session with Charles Mingus and his first Chico Hamilton Quintet performances nine years later - and look who he's jamming with! The extended explorations which dominate this disc are more than worth the investment in time and money for serious fans desperate for any "new" release from these gentlemen; just be aware that this is a decidedly in-the-raw offering all around (though by way of compensation, one which clocks in at a generous seventy-one minutes and change). If you don't already own every official Eric Dolphy release, you're strongly urged to complete your collection before indulging in this and/or the various other verite curios out there; the initiate, however, need have no fear.

"

Despite the limitations, a collaboration of giants

Matt Bailey | SLC, Utah | 01/16/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Imagine Rembrandt and Picasso creating a painting together. Or Hemingway and Dostoyevsky writing a novel. Magic Johnson and Larry Bird on the same team. Marlon Brando and Laurence Olivier in the same movie. Sounds amazing, right? Makes your mouth water? Well, now imagine looking at the painting from half a football field away. Or that the ink on the novel is all smudged. Or that Johnson and Bird are great, but playing back in the 50's, and TV color is both black, white, and grainy. Or that the movie's on VHS, and the tracking just isn't right on your VCR. A little bit disapointing. But still, those partnerships, those partnerships! How can you resist? You can't. Nor should you resist this amazing find.



To be sure, it's probably only for enthusiasts of either man...maybe only completists. But both men died so young that any surviving recordings (ANY) must be gobbled up like manna. It's certainly not fit as an introduction to either, but for genuine jazz collectors with an appreciation for the significance of such an event. There are technical limitations galore on this artist-made bootleg, but props to the production team that frankly admits to them. The engineers have cleaned up the sound as best they could, but remastering is obviously out the of the question. The sound is distant and blurry, with George Morrow's bass all but inaudible. The horns are close enough so you never miss a note, though the lack of clarity to the sound can be frustrating, and one wishes for more drums especially. On the other hand, the piano is satisfactory, even for a bootleg. There's no denying the quality of the sound, though: bad.



Still, the music is first-rate, albeit somewhat rehearsal quality at times (which is exactly what the occasion was.) But the prospect of Dolphy and Brownie, and with Max Roach, Harold Land and Richie Powell to boot, is just too one of a kind, too previously only-in-your-dreams, to pass up.



Dolphy only plays on four tracks, Roach and Powell on two, and Brownie is on piano half the time (though that's a find in and of itself) but the artists involved are such geniuses, such giants, that hearing them together, just knowing that they ARE together, is a consistent thrill. The music itself is straight bebop, with long solos, goodly tempos and a lot of exploration. Dolphy is still very much in thrall to Charlie Parker here, but already with a technical prowess to put most others in the shade. His harmonic innovations are already becoming apparent, and his phrasing - unique in all of jazz - is mostly in place. At this point, Brownie is certainly the superior of the two, as well as the more polished, but one has to wonder why he and Roach didn't hire Dolphy to be their saxophonist. He's certainly more advanced than Land (for all the latter's greatness) and would have been a genuine asset to the band, both in terms of ability and temperament. One can only deal in might-have-beens. But thanks to this great find, we can now get a great glimpse into what might have been."

The fact that it is even available...

'Ders Reklaw | USA | 01/11/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The observations of the previous reviewers are good. Obviously this recording is for enthusiasts only. Indeed it states on the package itself that this recording is for collectors only. I give it five stars simply for the fact that such a recording is even available. This is Eric Dolphy before he made his name and his impact - to hear early Dolphy alone would be worth the money; he is one of the most significant voices on the instrument and made one of the major contributions in breaking away from Bird's sound (his departure from Bird does not negate that he is very much a disciple) - but to have one of the greatest jazz trumpeters of all time, near the top of his game, meeting with this genius in the making is truly a gift. Coarse recording? Sure. This is an incredible document of cultural memory and provides a glimpse of the community that has been an essential element throughout the history of jazz."