The musical legacy of jazz reeds virtuoso Eric Dolphy will enliven Kettle’s Yard Modern Art Gallery on Friday 19 September, when the Chris Biscoe/Tony Kofi Quartet play Dolphy at the Cambridge Modern Jazz Club.

Dolphy was a key figure in the radical expansion of jazz in the early 1960s, collaborating with John Coltrane, Charles Mingus and Orrnette Coleman. He was an innovator on alto sax, and helped to develop both the bass clarinet and the flute as jazz instruments. He died at the age of 36 in 1964. Frank Zappa wrote The Eric Dolphy Memorial Barbecue in his honour.

In the Cambridge Modern Jazz Club’s own words, the concert features:

'BBC double award winner Tony Kofi joins Chris Biscoe [pictured] in an exploration of the musical legacy of reeds virtuoso Eric Dolphy. Featuring arrangements specially developed for this quartet, the repertoire includes music written by Eric Dolphy, and tunes from Oliver Nelson, Fats Waller, Monk and Mingus which he recorded. The first record by the band, Gone in the Air, is due for release on Trio Records in June 2008 (TR578), coinciding with the 80th anniversary of Eric Dolphy's birth. Chris Biscoe has appeared as a soloist on more than 40 albums, including records with George Russell, Mike Westbrook, Andy Sheppard and The Brotherhood of Breath. Major tours include Hermeto Pascoal Big Band and The New York Composers Orchestra Tony Kofi's album of Thelonious Monk tunes, All is Know, was a double award winner in 2005 (BBC and Parliamentary Jazz Awards), and his group was also voted Best Ensemble at the BBC Awards. He has been featured with The World Saxophone Quartet, Andrew Hill, David Murray and Sam Rivers, is a member of Byron Wallen's group Indigo, and has worked extensively with Chris Biscoe in Grand Union. Larry Bartley is a leading light of the contemporary jazz scene, featured with the bands of Byron Wallen, Ingrid Laubrock and Jason Yarde. Stu Butterfield works with the Henry Lowther/Jim Mullen Quartet, Mingus Moves and The Strayhorn Project.'

On Friday 17 October, the great British jazz vocalist Norma Winstone will be playing at the Cambridge Modern Jazz Club (Kettle’s Yard again), with her Chamber Jazz Trio.

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