Bennie Maupin and Dolphyana

It has been said that Bennie Maupin’s work on the bass clarinet is inspired by the legacy and tradition of the great Eric Dolphy; a pioneer on the instrument. Maupin’s most recent ensemble, Dolphyana is an all-star band brought together to honor the memory and music of Eric Dolphy.  Dolphyana presents music newly discovered by the Dolphy estate that has never been recorded, as well as Maupin’s own compositions.

Flutist James Newton came into possession of Dolphy’s handwritten manuscripts through his association with composer Hale Smith, a close friend and teacher of Dolphy’s. In a prescient moment, Dolphy had deposited his original sheet music with Smith days before he had left for Europe with Charles Mingus in 1964, never to return. Shortly before his passing, Smith phoned Newton to entrust him with the collection. His instructions to Newton were simple: “You gotta take care of this.” Newton enlisted Maupin to lead the ensemble that would present this important music to the world, and the rest is history.

A legendary leader in his own right, Bennie Maupin is also known for his atmospheric bass clarinet playing on Miles Davis’ classic “Bitches Brew” album, and his dynamic woodwind playing on other Miles Davis recordings such as, “Big Fun” “Jack Johnson,” and “On the Corner.” He was a performer and composer with Herbie Hancock’s influential Mwandishi band, and a founding member of Hancock’s seminal band The Headhunters.

Born in 1940 in Detroit, MI, Maupin, started playing piano and clarinet, later adding saxophone, flute and, most notably, the bass clarinet to his formidable arsenal of woodwind instruments.  Upon moving to New York in 1962, he freelanced with groups led by Marion Brown, Pharoah Saunders, and Chick Corea, and played regularly with Roy Haynes and Horace Silver. He also recorded with McCoy Tyner, Lee Morgan,  Freddie Hubbard, Jack DeJohnette, Andrew Hill, Eddie Henderson, and Woody Shaw to name only a few.

Maupin’s own discography as a leader includes recent releases on Cryptogramophone Records including “Early Reflections,” and “Penumbra.”  His seminal ECM recording, “The Jewel in The Lotus” (1974) was recently re-released, and other titles include “Slow Traffic to the Right” (1976), “Moonscapes” both on Mercury Records (1978), and “Driving While Black” on Intuition, (1998).   While echoes of the great John Coltrane can be heard in Maupin’s work, one can also discern the influences of Yusef Lateef, Sonny Rollins, and Eric Dolphy, as well as Maupin’s contemporaries like Wayne Shorter and the late Joe Henderson. Maupin’s approach to his music is intentional and profound, yet alive in the interpretation of the moment.  He maintains active performing and teaching careers in Europe, and the US.  Bennie Maupin currently resides in the Los Angeles area.

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