CiTR

A startling debut recording by a musician whose short life was musically very well documented. Born in Los Angeles but upon moving to New York in mid-1959 and leaving his employer, drummer Chico Hamilton, Eric joined Charles Mingus' bubbling cauldron of musical creativity, The Jazz Workshop. Through his membership in the Mingus organization, Eric was signed by Prestige (New Jazz) Records and made his debut record on April 1, 1960. To celebrate it's 53 anniversary, we hear it tonight. Eric is heard on alto saxophone, bass clarinet and flute and composed 4 of the 7 tunes on the set. His cohorts are the up and coming young trumpet player and Eric's roommate Freddie Hubbard. Boston's Jaki Byard is on piano and George Tucker (who studied with Mingus) on bass and the redoubtable Roy Haynes ("Mr. Snap-Crackle) on drums. Eric's debut is a fine document and signaled the beginning of a great career. Dolphy only lived until age 36, he died of undetected diabetes in Berlin on June 29, 1964."Outward Bound" was his real beginning.