Super Audio CD
ERIC DOLPHY / LAST DATE
Eric Dolphy's Last Date
This is the final studio recording of Eric Dolphy, who was at the forefront of the modern jazz world, and is included in both stereo and mono versions.
(Mono version is included only on the Super Audio CD layer)
Genre: Jazz
Eric Dolphy
Label: Fontana (European version), Limelight (American version)
Audio Source: Universal Music LLC
Specifications: Super Audio CD Hybrid
DSD MASTERING / Super Audio CD Layer
2-Channel Stereo/Mono
Beautiful Deluxe Paper Digipak Package
Bonus: Four-fold Miniature Jacket
Catalog Number: ESSJ-90325
A masterpiece from the late 1960s, where the simple yet fresh live sound unique to broadcast recordings highlights the reality of the performance.
This is the final studio recording of Eric Dolphy, who was at the forefront of the modern jazz world, made one month before his sudden death in Berlin. The sounds of alto saxophone, flute, and bass clarinet are revived here with an unadorned, pure, and fresh sound. This release includes both stereo and mono versions, DSD mastered and included on a Super Audio CD hybrid disc. (Mono version is included only on the Super Audio CD layer.)
This is the last studio recording by Eric Dolphy, who was at the forefront of modern jazz, made just one month before his sudden death in Berlin. The sounds of alto saxophone, flute, and bass clarinet are revived here with an unadorned, pure, and fresh sound. This release includes both stereo and mono versions, DSD mastered and included on a Super Audio CD hybrid disc. Please enjoy the differences and atmospheres between them.
(Mono version is included only on the Super Audio CD layer.)
This recording was a highlight of his three-month stay in Europe.
Eric Dolphy died in Berlin on June 29, 1964. This is his last studio session, recorded approximately one month prior. Immediately after this recording, Dolphy traveled alone from Amsterdam to Paris. He went to see his girlfriend, Joyce Mortdecai, who was studying ballet there. The couple, who were reportedly planning to marry in August, spent about a month in Paris. During that time, Dolphy had sessions with Donald Byrd and local musicians, and on June 27th, he departed for Berlin to perform at the club "Tangent." There, his pre-existing diabetes worsened, forcing him to cancel his planned three-set performance at "Tangent" after only two sets. He died at 7 PM on the 29th at Achenbach Hospital.
Eric Dolphy's trip to Europe that same year was to accompany Charles Mingus's "Jazz Workshop" on a European tour. However, after the tour ended, Dolphy remained in Europe alone. The highlight of his three-month stay in Europe, which ended in sudden death, was the recording of "Last Date."
Dolphy's Final Lament Etched into the Jazz Scene of 1964: A Year of Turmoil and Transformation
1964. In Japan, the Shinkansen bullet train opened in October and the Tokyo Olympics were held, but it was also a time of great upheaval not only in Japan but around the world, with events such as the assassination of President Kennedy in November of the previous year. Major changes were also occurring in the world of music. In January, the Beatles dominated the US hit charts, and their subsequent American tour and appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show were reported as global events. At the same time, the jazz world was also undergoing a period of great and diverse change. The previous year, Stan Getz, Antonio Carlos Jobim, and João Gilberto's "The Girl from Ipanema" became a huge hit, sparking a bossa nova boom. At the end of the year, Lee Morgan recorded "The Sidewinder," fusing rock beats with jazz. In 1965, Ramsey Lewis's "The Incrowd" topped the charts, and projects for easy-listening jazz albums with orchestral backing began to emerge, marking the rise of jazz aimed at popular hits. Meanwhile, avant-garde free jazz, considered radical and cutting-edge, also gained momentum. In July 1964, Albert Ayler recorded "Spiritual Unity," and in the fall, avant-garde musicians gathered in New York for what was called the "October Revolution of Jazz," another major event attracting significant attention. Modern jazz, with Eric Dolphy among its leading figures, was also poised for a major leap forward. Miles Davis performed in Japan in the summer of 1964, and in the fall, saxophonist Wayne Shorter joined, completing the golden quintet that would lead the 1960s. John Coltrane recorded his masterpiece, "A Love Supreme," at the end of the year, marking the quartet's most fruitful period. It was during this turbulent and diverse time that Eric Dolphy lost his life in Berlin, approximately one month earlier having recorded his masterpiece, "Last Date," at a Dutch broadcasting station.
A perfect performance and recording, achieved after meticulous rehearsals:
After his performance with the Mingus Group in April, Eric Dolphy remained in Europe alone, spending most of May in Paris with Joyce Mortdecai. Then, on the 29th, he headed to the Netherlands. His main purpose was to perform a live public performance for the Dutch broadcasting station VARA. Farrah Radio was located in Hilversum, a town known as the "media capital" for its beautiful green scenery, less than 30 minutes by train from Amsterdam and Utrecht. The members for the broadcast recording were a piano trio arranged by a local promoter.
Pianist Mischa Mengelberg, nephew of the great conductor Willem Mengelberg, was a classically trained musician with a deep understanding of contemporary music, making him the perfect jazz player for Dolphy. Bassist Jack Scholes is a leading Dutch bassist, having collaborated with world-renowned musicians such as singer Ann Burton and pianist Louis van Dyke. Drummer Han Bennink is one of Europe's leading masters, boasting a global reputation and career as a free music drummer.
Thorough meetings and rehearsals with them took place almost daily leading up to the recording. And with everything perfectly prepared, the recording took place on the evening of Tuesday, June 2nd. Several people, including staff and listeners, were present in the studio, creating a kind of live studio performance atmosphere. Entering the studio around 8:30 AM, they performed "Epistle of the World" as a test take. After adjustments were made to the volume balance and microphone placement, Eric Dolphy was satisfied, and recording finally began.
From the explosive intro of "Epistle of the World," Dolphy and his group delivered a passionate performance. The final song, "Miss Anne," finished at 11:00 AM. Dolphy left the studio, saying, "I have to get back to Paris early tomorrow."
The simple yet fresh live sound, characteristic of broadcast recordings, highlights the reality of the performance!
The initial release was in mono. For this release, we decided to revert to the tapes deemed to be the originals as much as possible, remastering and including all six tracks.
In this session, Dolphy played three instruments: bass clarinet, flute, and alto saxophone. Enjoying the timbres of these instruments is one of the charms of this disc. For this, superb sound quality was essential, and the magnificent sound that meets that requirement has been revived here.
As always, the remastering process aimed to faithfully reproduce the master recording, resulting in a tighter, more refined sound than previous works, both in terms of individual sounds and the overall sound. It maintains a natural feel, almost like listening to a live recording, and the sound is remarkably natural and vivid by today's standards.
This release primarily features the later-released stereo audio, with the initial mono version also included. The stereo audio doesn't employ the then-prevailing "ping-pong stereo" technique where instruments are separated left and right; instead, it uses a mono-based pattern with instruments concentrated in the center, creating a natural effect that conveys a sense of spaciousness in the reverberations and applause. We hope you'll enjoy the greater sense of atmosphere compared to the mono version.
The opening of the masterful performance of "You Don't Know What Love Is," with its flute and bowed bass, creates a lingering resonance that seems to fill the space, giving it a live feel. You can also fully enjoy the timbres of the three instruments Dolphy uses, and we were able to create a "one-time performance" that allows you to appreciate the brilliance of a broadcast recording that has been free from distortion.
Mastering aimed at accurately reproducing the raw, vibrant essence of jazz, a genre that has reached the pinnacle of diversity.
This is a classic album from the late 1960s, a time when stereo recording became established in jazz, but this is the first time it has been released as a SuperAudio CD hybrid. The master was newly digitally mastered specifically for SuperAudio CD. As with previous Esoteric projects, the process, from selecting the master to the final DSD mastering, was carried out without compromise.
In particular, for the DSD mastering, meticulously adjusted Esoteric brand's top-of-the-line equipment was used for the DA converter and rubidium clock generator, and the company's MEXEL cables were used generously, allowing for the complete transfer of information from the original master to the disc.
"A performance that expresses the most raw emotions of Eric Dolphy's life."
"All of Dolphy's music is deeply moving. 'You Don't Know What Love Is' is the finest performance on the flute. His playing, which strongly conveys human emotions, contains a heart-wrenching cry, yet there is an indescribable beauty to it. The opening piece, played on bass clarinet, is a performance that perfectly showcases Dolphy's style, and the piano trio also delivers a fine performance."
'ONTOMO MOOK Modern Jazz Masterpieces 500' Ongaku no Tomo Sha 1993
"Beyond Dolphy's signature mid-tempo style, this album features exquisite ballad performances on the flute. His collaboration with Mengelberg, who would later become a leader of European free jazz, is superb. Along with the memorable quote (recorded in his own voice) at the end—'Music disappears into the air and can never be captured again'—this album captures the eternal jazz legacy left behind by this genius." "
'Gold Disc Encyclopedia', Swing Journal Co., Ltd., 1998
"The flute playing, which seems to foreshadow death, is truly Dolphy's heartbreaking cry, and it is a performance that expresses the most raw emotions of his life. Throughout the album, one can feel the heartwarming humanity of Eric Dolphy, an artist of such pure artistry that jazz produced."
'Jazz Record Encyclopedia '79', Swing Journal Co., Ltd., 1979
"From the intro of the opening track, which starts with a tentative atmosphere, Dolphy plays bold phrases and draws the listener into his world. It is also impressive to see the Dutch players providing support with reverence in the face of the 'god's' playing."
'ONTOMO MOOK Complete New Edition 500 Modern Jazz Masterpieces', Ongaku no Tomo Sha, 1999
Specifications
Track Listing
Last Date / Eric Dolphy (1928-1964)
[STEREO]
Episterophy
South Street Exit
The Madrig Speaks, The Panther Walks
Hypocristomatoly Fuzz
You Don't Know What Love Is
Miss Ann
[MONO] (Mono is Super Audio) (Included only on the CD layer)
Episterophy
South Street Exit
The Madrig Speaks, The Panther Walks
Hypocristomatoly Fuzz
You Don't Know What Love Is
Miss Ann
Eric Dolphy (b-cl, fl, as)
Mischa Mengelberg (p)
Jack Scholes (b)
Han Bennink (ds)
[Recording] June 2, 1964
VARA Broadcasting Studio 56, Hilversum, Netherlands
[First Release]
[MONO] Fontana 681 008 ZL 1965, Limelight LM 82013 1965
[STEREO] LS 86013 1965
[First Japanese Release]
[STEREO] Mercury SMX-7009 1968
[Original Recording]
[Producer] Michael de Reuter
[Recording Engineer] Jos van Hueckelom
[Super Audio CD Remastering]
[Super Audio CD Remaster] April 2026, Esoteric Audio Room, "Esoteric Mastering" System
[Super Audio CD Producer] Minoru Yoshida (Esoteric Mastering Center)
[Super Audio CD Executive Producer] Tomoaki Omachi (Esoteric Mastering Center)
[Super Audio CD Remastering Engineer] Shinya Higashino (Esoteric Mastering Center)
[Commentary] Kozo Asari, Ryusuke Nozawa
[Planning & Sales] TEAC Corporation
[Planning & Cooperation] Tokyo Denka Co., Ltd.