"Take The A Train" by Charles Mingus Sextet w/ Eric Dolphy (live)

[JohnnyRingo]

This classic was already posted by The Duke and Benny Goodman, I thought one was missing. Mingus plays the piano here and Eric Dolphy is featured on the sax. His solo at the end of this 12 minute jam is phenomenal.

I was always one to hop on the band wagon.

[eppur_se_muova]

1. Eric Dolphy was one of the very few people in the world who ever got famous for playing the **BASS CLARINET**

Instrument: soloist (length of solo)

Trumpet: Johnny Coles (0:42)
Piano: Jaki Byard (1:58)
Bass Clarinet: Eric Dolphy (4:27)
Tenor Sax: Clifford Jordan (9:11)

Members Who Didn't Solo:
Charles Mingus (Bass)
Dannie Richmond (Drums)

[JohnnyRingo]

2. I thought at 1st it was Dolphy on the clarinet....

...but I looked at a picture of him and thought that was him on the tenor sax.
It doesn't take away from the satisfying solo that closes the song out. All 'round great rendition!

[eppur_se_muova]

3. Dolphy was a huge influence to players, but made very few recordings (partly by choice) -- he said only live jazz was

real jazz, or words to that effect ... the partly *not* by choice was that he died very young, from complications due to diabetes. So a lot of young jazz players don't really know who he was, and have heard almost none of his performances.

One of the most iconic portraits in jazz ...

[JohnnyRingo]

4. I confess I never heard of him.

I read his Wikki page and he led an interesting life and an avoidable demise.

[eppur_se_muova]

5. Here's what is probably his best-known recording ... Green Dolphin Street. He really used the upper range on that bass!

He was so closely associated with this tune that some people -- including me -- thought that he had written it ! Actually, Bronislaw Kaper, a Polish-born movie soundtrack composer, did. But a quick check w/Google shows that some people still think Dolphy was the composer !