Conversations | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 1963 | |||
Recorded | July 1 & 3, 1963 | |||
Studio | Music Maker's Studios, New York City, NY | |||
Genre | Jazz | |||
Length | 33:50 | |||
Label | FM FM-LP 308 | |||
Producer | Alan Douglas | |||
Eric Dolphy chronology | ||||
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Conversations is a 1963 album by American jazz multi-instrumentalist, Eric Dolphy first released by the FM label and later reissued by Vee-Jay as The Eric Dolphy Memorial Album the following year. [1] [2] The album was reissued on disc one of Musical Prophet: The Expanded 1963 New York Studio Sessions, released in 2018 by Resonance Records. [3]
The music on Conversations was recorded during two dates arranged by Alan Douglas: a July 1, 1963 session featuring just Dolphy and bassist Richard Davis, and a July 3 session with nearly a dozen musicians. [4] The July 1 session produced "Alone Together" and two other tracks ("Come Sunday" and "Ode to Charlie Parker") which appeared on the album Iron Man . [4] An alternate version of "Alone Together", along with two previously-unreleased versions of a tune written by Roland Hanna titled "Muses for Richard Davis", also recorded that day, appeared on Musical Prophet: The Expanded 1963 New York Studio Sessions. [5] The remaining three tracks on Conversations were recorded during the July 3 session, which also yielded the tracks "Iron Man", "Mandrake", and "Burning Spear", released on Iron Man. [4] Alternate takes of most of the July 3 pieces can be found on Musical Prophet. Alternate versions of five of the pieces recorded on both July dates also appeared on the 2013 Japanese release Muses.
The July sessions marked the recorded debut of trumpeter Woody Shaw, who was eighteen at the time. [6]
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [7] |
MusicHound Jazz | [8] |
The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings | [9] |
AllMusic reviewer Steve Huey stated: "it's classic, essential Dolphy that stands as some of his finest work past Out to Lunch! . ... Even if the selections don't completely hang together as an LP statement, they're united by Dolphy's generally brilliant playing and a sense that -- after several years without entering the studio much as a leader -- Dolphy was really striving to push his (and others') music forward. The results are richly rewarding, making Conversations one of the landmarks in his catalog". [7]
Dolphy biographers Vladimir Simosko and Barry Tepperman wrote that "Jitterbug Waltz" "is given a refreshing treatment with a fine skittering flute solo from Dolphy, whose occasional obligato contributions also add vitality and an [ sic ] unique flavor." [10] They declared "Alone Together" a "masterpiece", stating that "its structure has a unity and logic of classic proportions, and the interplay between the two men is breathtakingly intricate." [10] Regarding Dolphy's solo version of "Love Me", they wrote that it "involved an ornate treatment of the melody, effective use of intervals and glissando, and concluded with a chord -- an impressive revelation of technical skills an order of magnitude beyond [Dolphy's] unaccompanied alto saxophone solo on 'Tenderly' recorded in 1960..." [10]
David Toop also praised "Alone Together": "The language of empathy, its silences, its free movement (though essentially tonal), most of all a sensitive dwelling on the richness of sounds in close combination and as markings cast into empty space, anticipates a type of improvisation that is indebted to jazz yet not confined by its frame... the title is significant, a Broadway show tune: 'we can weather the great unknown, if we're alone together...' whose melody recurs as revelatory object within multiphonics, breath expulsions, abrupt explosive runs, unanticipated convergences and twists born of close listening between two alone-together entities. The song was a standard recorded by many others... In this setting it acts as ghost presence, absent and present, a new balancing of song's melodic and lyrical functions with oblique instrumental contextualization. Implicit within this one piece were two options: one was to forget the song book entirely, the path of free improvisation (but not free jazz, which invariably retained ties to theme and variation); the other was to find greater parity between song and accompaniment." [11]
Production
Eric Allan Dolphy Jr. was an American jazz multi-instrumentalist and bandleader. Primarily an alto saxophonist, bass clarinetist, and flautist, 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. Dolphy extended the vocabulary and boundaries of the alto saxophone, and was among the earliest significant jazz flute soloists.
Out to Lunch! is a 1964 album by jazz multi-instrumentalist Eric Dolphy. His only recording on Blue Note as a leader, it was issued as BLP 4163 and BST 84163. Featuring Dolphy in a quintet with trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson, bassist Richard Davis and drummer Tony Williams, it was generally considered by critics as one of the finest albums issued on Blue Note, and widely viewed as one of the high points of 1960s avant-garde jazz. The album cover designed by Reid Miles features a photo of a "Will Be Back" sign displayed in a shop window showing a seven handed clock.
Eric Dolphy at the Five Spot, Vols. 1 and 2, is a pair of jazz live albums documenting one night from the end of multi-instrumentalist Eric Dolphy and trumpeter Booker Little's two-week residency at the Five Spot jazz club in New York. This was the only night to be recorded. The engineer was Rudy Van Gelder.
Outward Bound is the debut album by jazz multi-instrumentalist Eric Dolphy, released in 1960. It is oriented towards straight bebop, and slightly less adventurous than the majority of his later recordings. The album was recorded at Van Gelder Studio in New Jersey and features Dolphy in a quintet with trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, pianist Jaki Byard, bassist George Tucker and drummer Roy Haynes. Hubbard had shared living space with Dolphy when they both first arrived in New York City. The cover artwork was by Dolphy's friend Richard "Prophet" Jennings.
Iron Man is an album by American jazz multi-instrumentalist Eric Dolphy, recorded in 1963 and released by the Douglas International label in 1968. The album was reissued on disc two of Musical Prophet: The Expanded 1963 New York Studio Sessions, released in 2018 by Resonance Records.
Out There is an album by Eric Dolphy which was released by Prestige Records in September 1961. It features Dolphy in a quartet with bassists Ron Carter and George Duvivier, and drummer Roy Haynes. It was Dolphy's second album as a leader, released following his time with Charles Mingus.
The Illinois Concert is a live jazz recording of a concert by Eric Dolphy, released in 1999 by Blue Note Records. The album was recorded on March 10, 1963, at the University of Illinois in Champaign, Illinois and features Dolphy with pianist Herbie Hancock, bassist Eddie Khan, and drummer J.C. Moses. The quartet is joined by the University of Illinois Brass Ensemble for one track, and by the University of Illinois Big Band for the final track. The tape of the concert, which was recorded for radio broadcast, did not surface until 1999, when it was mentioned in a chat room and was eventually brought to the attention of Michael Cuscuna.
Far Cry is the third album by jazz musician Eric Dolphy, released in 1962 on New Jazz Featuring a quintet co-led with trumpeter Booker Little, it is one of the few recordings of their partnership. Pianist Jaki Byard, bassist Ron Carter and drummer Roy Haynes all return from earlier Dolphy albums. This was a busy time for Dolphy- he took part in Ornette Coleman's Free Jazz session and recorded this album on the same day, and had participated in the Jazz Abstractions project the previous day.
Here and There is a jazz album by multi-instrumentalist Eric Dolphy. It was originally released in 1966 on the Prestige label as PRLP 7382. It contains tracks recorded on three separate dates, in different locations. Mal Waldron's "Status Seeking" and Dolphy's solo bass clarinet version of Billie Holiday's "God Bless the Child" were recorded on July 16, 1961 at the Five Spot in New York City as part of the concert that was documented on the At the Five Spot recordings. "April Fool" and "G.W. " were recorded on April 1, 1960 at Van Gelder Studio in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey as part of the session that yielded Outward Bound, Dolphy's first album as a leader. "Don't Blame Me" was recorded on September 6, 1961 in Berlingske Has, Copenhagen, Denmark during Dolphy's second European tour, as part of the sessions that produced Eric Dolphy in Europe Volumes 1-3.
Last Date is a live album by jazz musician Eric Dolphy released in early 1965 on Limelight Records. It was recorded on June 2, 1964 in Hilversum, North Holland, shortly after Dolphy had settled in Paris, France, following a tour with Charles Mingus. Dolphy is accompanied by the Misha Mengelberg trio on the album.. The audience was an invited group of recording executives and studio personnel.
Other Aspects is a collection of previously unreleased jazz recordings by Eric Dolphy made in 1960 and 1964, and released first in 1987 by Blue Note Records. The recordings originated with tapes that Dolphy left with composer Hale Smith and his wife Juanita before leaving for Europe in 1964 to tour with Charles Mingus. Years after Dolphy's death, Smith contacted James Newton, who, after reviewing the material, suggested that Smith get in touch with Blue Note. Newton ended up producing the album.
Caribé is an album by the Latin Jazz Quintet with Eric Dolphy that was recorded in 1960 and released on the New Jazz label in February 1961.
Naima is an album by American musician Eric Dolphy, released in Europe in 1987 by the Jazzway label, and later by the West Wind label. Four of the five tracks were recorded on June 11, 1964 in a Paris studio for radio broadcast, nine days after the Hilversum session that yielded Last Date, and eighteen days before Dolphy's death. The remaining track, a duet with bassist Ron Carter, was recorded in New York City in November 1960, during a session which also produced three of the tracks released on Other Aspects.
Unrealized Tapes is an album by American musician Eric Dolphy, released in Europe in 1988 by the West Wind label, and in Japan with the title Last Recordings by the DIW label. The album was recorded on June 11, 1964 in a Paris studio for radio broadcast, nine days after the Hilversum session that yielded Last Date, and eighteen days before Dolphy's death.
The Complete Uppsala Concert is a double-CD live album by Eric Dolphy. It was recorded on September 4, 1961, at Västmanlands-Dala Nation, Uppsala, Sweden, and was released by Gambit Records in 2005. The album, which features one original tune plus eight performances of standards, was recorded during Dolphy's second visit to Europe, and showcases local musicians Rony Johansson on piano, Kurt Lindgren on bass, and Rune Carlsson on drums.
Dash One is an album by Eric Dolphy consisting of alternate takes of four pieces recorded for other albums.
Stockholm Sessions is an album by Eric Dolphy. It was recorded in September and November 1961 at the Swedish Broadcast station in Stockholm, Sweden, and was released by Inner City Records and Enja Records in 1981. The album was recorded during Dolphy's second visit to Europe.
The Berlin Concerts is a two-LP live album by Eric Dolphy. It was recorded on August 30, 1961, at two separate venues in Berlin, Germany, and was released by Inner City Records and Enja Records in 1978.
Vintage Dolphy is a live album by multi-instrumentalist Eric Dolphy. Side A was recorded at Carnegie Hall in New York City on April 18, 1963, and features Dolphy in a quartet format with trumpeter Edward Armour, bassist Richard Davis, and drummer J. C. Moses. Side B contains three pieces by Gunther Schuller, with varying instrumentation, one of which was recorded at the Everson Museum of Art in Syracuse, New York with the Syracuse Friends of Chamber Music on March 10, 1962, the other two of which were recorded at Carnegie Hall on March 14, 1963. The remaining track is a rendition of Charlie Parker's "Donna Lee" by an all-star ensemble recorded at Carnegie Hall on April 18, 1963.
Eric Dolphy in Europe, Volumes 1, 2, and 3, is a trio of live albums by jazz multi-instrumentalist Eric Dolphy. The albums were recorded on September 6 and 8, 1961, in Copenhagen, Denmark, and were released on the Prestige label in 1964 and 1965. On the recordings, Dolphy is joined by three Danish musicians: pianist Bent Axen, bassist Erik Moseholm, and drummer Jorn Elniff. Bassist Chuck Israels, who was in Copenhagen with the Jerome Robbins ballet company, also appears on one track.