11. Eric DolphyAt The Five Spot Vol. 1
I have always been inspired by many musicians, but have shied away from being influenced. Remaining free is key for me for originality and personal expression, but as an alto saxophone player, I have always been drawn to Eric’s style of playing and traits, like the leaps from the high to the low register, his rhymical dexterity and his multi-instrumental characteristics of playing the bass clarinet and alto saxophone. So basically, Live At The Five Spot is one of my favourite albums, as it showcases his originality. Most of the musicians I am close with and inspired by all felt the same – that you can recognise that it is Eric from the first to the third note he plays. That’s Eric, that’s the epitome of what a musician should be striving for. You should know someone from a couple of notes or phrasings. The tragic nature of his demise at such a young age is emblematic of what has happened to too many jazz artists. "It’s something you have to think about, as it goes beyond music – it’s about taking care of oneself, because, yes, one of the most remarkable things about Eric, and ‘Trane, were that they were so dedicated to studying their instruments, but it was often at the expense of their health. They burned up so fast.
