Truth

AMG Review of Truth

Ken Dryden
All Music Guide

The music on this European import CD features Eric Dolphy while he was a member of the Chico Hamilton Quintet; the music originally appeared on a SESAC Repertory LP. The group includes either Ralph Pena or Wyatt Ruther on bass, guitarist Dennis Budmir, cellist Nathan Gershman, Dolphy (alto sax, flute, and bass clarinet), and the leader on drums. Like other Chico Hamilton recordings with Dolphy present, the material often has the feeling of chamber music, though the occasional pyrotechnics of Dolphy's alto sax can jar the listener. None of the individual numbers is particularly memorable, although Dolphy's flute is consistently a highlight during "Theme for a Starlet" and "Lullaby for Dreamers." "Frou Frou" is a lively calypso somewhat reminiscent of the writings of Charles Mingus, featuring Dolphy's rapid fire vocal-like alto sax. Unfortunately, Dolphy doesn't solo on every piece, only uses the bass clarinet in some ensemble passages, and is omitted entirely from one track, "Pretty Little Theme." Because of the typos in several of the song listings in this reissue of questionable origin, (all of which have been corrected for the accompanying All Music Guide list of individual tracks), the composers shown may very well also be incorrect. This somewhat hard to find CD may be of interest to serious fans of Eric Dolphy, but will be of little interest to most jazz fans.