JAZZ REVIEWS : A MEMORIAL CONCERT FOR ERIC DOLPHY

An Eric Dolphy memorial concert Saturday night at the Los Angeles Press Club was a far-too-rare recognition of one of the most gifted jazz performers of the post-World War II period.

Dolphy’s primary instrument was the alto saxophone, but he was equally adept on the flute and single-handedly molded the unwieldy bass clarinet into a powerful jazz instrument.

But Dolphy’s spectacular, comet-like career--in which he easily rivaled both John Coltrane and Ornette Coleman as the preeminent new wave player of the ‘60s--was short-lived, brought to a sudden, tragic conclusion when he passed away in 1964 at the age of 36.

Jazz Central’s Dolphy tribute showcased Buddy Collette and Fred Katz--musicians who knew and performed with him. The presence of the Vinnie Golia Quintet had no apparent Dolphy connection beyond the group’s determinedly avant-garde repertoire and the leader’s multi-woodwind playing.

Collette reminisced about his first meetings with Dolphy in the late ‘40s and led his crisp, contemporary quartet (with Doug McDonald on guitar, John Gianelli on bass and Tootie Heath on drums) through a set that peaked with Collette’s spontaneous, but beautifully conceived flute variations on “How Deep Is the Ocean.”

Cellist Katz, who worked with Dolphy in Chico Hamilton’s seminal small group in the ‘60s (when Dolphy replaced Collette and Paul Horn) provided a fascinating, interactive flute and piano meditation--performed with his son, Hyman Katz, on flute--and an Ellingtonesque harmonized blues etude for piano, both dedicated to Dolphy.

Golia’s all-original program was predictably bombastic, with most of the highlights coming from John Rabson’s gravelly eccentric, highly declamatory trombone. But too often the group’s music emerged as a series of inner monologues rather than the probing musical dialogues which were at the heart of all of Dolphy’s music.