American Eric Dolphy (1928-1964) was a clean-cut, clean-living, gifted musician and composer, whose life was cut down in its prime by the sudden onset of a diabetic coma, which was initially misdiagnosed because he was a black jazz musician. The authorities in Berlin couldn't imagine that his sudden seizure during a concert could have been caused by anything other than drugs. This documentary focuses on the life, music and ambitions of that extraordinary performer, whose virtuoso avant-garde solos on the bass clarinet, alto saxophone, and flute stunned his fellow musicians and provoked a storm of controversy among musical traditionalists. Among those interviewed were Dolphy's fiancee, as well as many of his fellow musicians. Highlights include tapes of some of Dolphy's last performances.
by Clarke Fountain
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