In 1958, Dolphy joined the Chico Hamilton Quintet in what many would consider his first big break. In 1959, he moved to New York and joined the Charles Mingus Quartet, which led him to gain widespread attention. He recorded regularly with Prestige, where he first began his career as a bandleader. From 1960 to 1961, he recorded with people like Booker Little, Max Roach, and Ornette Coleman.
It’s hard to overstate the impact Eric Dolphy has had. You can experience a small piece of that impact at Seed Artists’ Eric Dolphy: Freedom of Sound on June 1st and 2nd at The New School’s John L. Tishman Auditorium. Join us as we honor Dolphy and his work with performances by nearly 40 brilliant artists, including NEA Jazz Master Reggie Workman, Nicole Mitchell, James Brandon Lewis, the Don Byron Bass Clarinet Quartet, Eugene Chadbourne, and Angelica Sanchez.
This story originally appeared on Seed Artists and was syndicated by MediaFeed.
Featured Image Credit: Seed Artists / Peter Bodge.