So Long, Eric!

Free jazz pioneer Eric Dolphy died in Berlin in 1964.[1][2] Pianists Aki Takase and Alexander von Schlippenbach organised a Berlin music festival in 2014 to celebrate Dolphy's music.[1]

The album was recorded in concert in Berlin towards the end of the Dolphy festival, on June 19 and 20, 2014.[3] The performances are of Dolphy compositions, arranged by Takase and Schlippenbach.[1] Twelve musicians play on the album,[1] with the number used for each track varying from two to twelve.[4] "Out There" is played by the quartet of Schlippenbach, saxophonist Henrik Walsdorff, bassist Antonio Borghini and drummer Heinrich Köbberling.[2]

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Down Beat	[2]
The Daily Telegraph	[1]

So Long, Eric! was released by Intakt Records.[1] The cover art is influenced by that of Dolphy's Out to Lunch! album.[2] The Daily Telegraph's critic wrote that "Everything is brilliantly re-imagined, and infused with quick-witted humour. Most importantly the music-making keeps touching base with Dolphy and the tradition he sprung from, however wild and free it often becomes."[1] Down Beat concluded that "Music is rarely this richly festooned with brilliance and hyper-real personality."[2]

1. "Les"
2. "Hat and Beard"
3. "The Prophet"
4. "17 West"
5. "Serene"
6. "Miss Ann"
7. "Something Sweet, Something Tender"
8. "Out There"
9. "Out to Lunch"

• Aki Takase – piano
• Alexander von Schlippenbach – piano
• Tobias Delius – tenor saxophone
• Henrik Walsdorff – alto saxophone
• Axel Dörner – trumpet
• Nils Wogram – trombone
• Rudi Mahall– bass clarinet, clarinet
• Karl Berger – vibraphone
• Wilbert de Joode – bass
• Antonio Borghini – bass
• Han Bennink – drums
• Heinrich Köbberling – drums