Eric Dolphy’s stellar career lasted little more than 5 years. He was one of the most important pioneers of the jazz avant-garde of the 1960s. As a multi-instrumentalist, Dolphy played flute, bass clarinet, alto saxophone and clarinet. He also composed and arranged. His brilliant solos in performances with the Mingus Band, among others, are milestones in jazz and music history. Guillaume Belhomme traces his biography in sketches.

“For having been an innovator, Eric Dolphy became an original. The depth of his message then caught up with him. At the source he created, a lineage of individual musicians that has not yet faded out of sight has continuously drawn, searching, perhaps, for ways to cross to the other side, beyond the obvious and the easy.”
Guillaume Belhomme

 

“Finally we have an English translation of Guillaume Belhomme’s wonderful biography of Eric Dolphy. I can read just enough French to know that it is a heart-felt homage to the great man. This translation will make a fuller appreciation possible.”
Evan Parker

 

“At 112 pages, the book is like an energy bar of biographies, packing all of the calories in an easily accessible packet. Rich with information [it] provides a thorough and concise overview of the musicians life and development, but this also comes with a gentle warning: the translation could use a little more work.”
Paul Acquaro

Softcover, published in 2023, 112 pages, photos.