Klarinet Archive - Posting 000448.txt from 1995/01

From: Alan Saul <saul+@-----.EDU>
Subj: Re: Eric Dolphy again
Date: Sat, 28 Jan 1995 19:05:22 -0500

>>Date: Thu, 26 Jan 1995 00:21:04 -0600
>>Reply-To: "Klarinet - Clarinettist's Network"
>><KLARINET%VCCSCENT.BITNET@-----.EDU>
>>Sender: "Klarinet - Clarinettist's Network"
>><KLARINET%VCCSCENT.BITNET@-----.EDU>
>>From: David Lechner <dlechner@-----.NET>
>>Subject: Eric Dolphy again
>>To: Multiple recipients of list KLARINET
>><KLARINET%VCCSCENT.BITNET@-----.EDU>

>>Secondly, I have a puzzle that came to my attention while driving to work
>>this morning. I was listening to a tape of Dolphy's _Copenhagen
>>Concert_ for which I no longer have either playlist and personnel.
>>Unfortunately the album doesn't appear to be available currently except
>>as a used lp (if one could track it down). I believe the album must have been
>>a two record set, since the tape runs about 90 minutes. About half way
>>through side 2 (thus at the end of disk 2 side 1 or beginning of disk 2
>>side 2) there is a song in which after an extended piano solo and following
>>piano/bass/drums vamp, an alto sax solo begins and runs about 2 minutes
>>before the song ends. _Immediately_ before the alto begins, there are
>>three notes played by what can _only_ be a CONTRABASS clarinet (or
>>possibly a very stuffy bass sax) played in the low register. Okay, it stands
>>to reason that if Dolphy played bass clarinet he could well have played
>>contrabass, yet I've never heard of it before. Secondly, the alto solo
>>definitely _sounds_ like Dolphy and there isn't enough time for any
>>mortal musician to switch horns. So who's on first and what's on second?
>>Any ideas? Thanks!

For a while I thought you were hearing things or otherwise out to lunch, or
just needed to provide a better description, but I finally have a feeling
for what you heard. It's in Woody 'N You (the Dizzy Gillespie composition)
and matches your description pretty well. However, what it is does not seem
to me to resemble another instrument, but instead is an electronically
distorted 3 or 4 notes presumably from the alto. Two eighth notes and two
quarter notes, I'd say, probably around concert A. I can't guess where the
distortion arose, maybe from the microphone, maybe from the recording
setup, maybe in the pressing, but it's clearly distortion and not a
contrabass clarinet or the like.

To help you decide on this interpretation, here is the list of tunes on
Prestige 24027, from which your tape is presumably derived:

Side One: Hi-Fly (13:00, Eric on flute); Glad to be Unhappy (5:56, Eric on
flute)
Side Two: God Bless the Child (6:40, Eric on bass clarinet); Oleo (7:02,
Eric on bass clarinet)
Side Three: Woody 'N You (9:39, Eric on alto); When Lights are Low (11:54,
Eric on bass clarinet - incredible!)
Side Four: In the Blues (16:30, Eric on alto, 3+ takes)

I realized in looking into this that I don't have Prestige 7366, Vol. 3 of
In Europe, which is the same as sides 3 and 4 of the double album, so I
can't check to see if this distorted moment is present there as well.
Vladimir?

--------------------
Alan Saul
saul+@-----.edu