Search - Eric Dolphy :: Conversations

Dolphy's Missing Link

Michael B. Richman | Portland, Maine USA | 07/22/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

""Conversations" and its counterpart "Iron Man," along with the recently issued "The Illinois Concert," are the missing link between Dolphy's Prestige recordings and the Blue Note masterpiece "Out to Lunch." Unfortunately, it is a bit of transition album. Dolphy begins his association with Bobby Hutcherson here, and his vibes offer the strongest counterpoint yet to Dolphy's unique reed sound. The album features several other jazz men whose names became synonymous with great avant-garde and modern jazz -- Sonny Simmons, Prince Lasha, Richard Davis, JC Moses, Eddie Kahn, Charles Moffet, Woody Shaw (in fact this was his recording debut), etc. The album only features two quintet/sextet recordings with the infectious "Music Matador" the highlight of the album. The last two tracks are a Dolphy solo piece, and a Dolphy duo with bassist Davis. The duo piece hints at the kind of imporovisation we will see in a group setting on "Out to Lunch." For Dolphy fans, or fans of the "avant" Blue Note releases, this is indispensible."