Bobby Jaspar

[brownie]

Bobby Jaspar also plays superb flute in the four tracks he recorded with Blossom Dearie (his then wife) in 1956 that habe been reissued on volume 18 of the Jazz in Paris series 'Jazz de Chambre' (Buddy Banks/Bobby Jaspar). That was his first flute only date.

Not to be missed either are the two Prestige albums with Herbie Mann 'Flute Flight' and 'Flute Souffle' and his contributions to the Milt Jackson Atlantic album 'Bags & Flutes'.

Jaspar was one of the most individual flute player of his time.

[king ubu]

Thanks, brownie! Shall look for these.

I have the Buddy Banks disc with those four short and nice tracks, too, forgot about them.

ubu

[Leeway]

I posted this earlier in the Vinyl Thread.  Couw, is this the album you were referring to?

"Oh yes, one more jazz LP I listened to Friday- Hank Jones- "Relaxin' at Camarillo"- all-star lineup- with Kenny Clarke on drums, Paul Chambers on bass, and, the reason I really picked this LP up-- Bobby Jaspar on flute. Hard to define Jaspar's sound. I've only heard it once, I like it, need to give it more listens to get a better sense of Jaspar's style on flute." 

What do you all think of Jaspar's flute playing versus his tenor sax playing?

no, that's not the one. The one I mean is titled "Hank Jones Trio (plus the flute of Bobby Jaspar)" and "Hank Jones' Quartet" on the back cover. Front looks like this:

I think though, that the Camarillo album you have features the exact same music, no?

The "Trio (+Jaspar)" disk has:

1 Moonlight becomes you

2 Relaxin' at Camarillo's

3 Minor conception

4 Sunday in Savannah

5 Spontaneous combustion

rec. 21 August 1956

Jaspar is absolutely marvellous on flute here. This album wanders over to my player rather often. These people have a very nice relaxed vibe going and the velvet of Hank on the keys is mirrored in Jaspar's flute to full effect.

Yes, those are the tracks. I have this on SJL 1138. Wonder why the different titles? Interesting to note that the recording engineer was Rudy Van Gelder, and the dubbing [??] and editing was done by Malcolm Addey. Pretty good studio hands!

I'm not really a big fan of jazz flute, so I don't have a basis for comparison. But I will give Jaspar a closer listen.

[couw]

on Flute Flight there is more Jaspar than Mann. Only two tracks feature both flautists, the remaining three only have Jaspar. A bit strange that the album was sold as (and still is on CD) with Mann's name first. Publicity and money making of course, but damn! as if Jaspar needed Mann to introduce him!

brownie is absolutely correct when he states that Jaspar's flute style was one of the most unique around.

hey, couw *loves* it

(fine by me that Mann shuts up after two tunes...)

[couw]

Yes, those are the tracks. I have this on SJL 1138. Wonder why the different titles? Interesting to note that the recording engineer was Rudy Van Gelder, and the dubbing [??] and editing was done by Malcolm Addey. Pretty good studio hands!

I'm not really a big fan of jazz flute, so I don't have a basis for comparison. But I will give Jaspar a closer listen.

cool, learn something everyday. Never knew this one was released under another title.

you'll end up loving the flute after listening to this one a couple of times.

or not.

I did, it's cozy here, you might as well join.

[king ubu]

(fine by me that Mann shuts up after two tunes...)

Don't be too hard on Mann! Check out the two flute frontline on the Mann/Most Bethlehem album! Some pretty pretty nice stuff! Almost pennywhistle like at times, and almost south african in feel!

ubu

[couw]

(fine by me that Mann shuts up after two tunes...)

Don't be too hard on Mann! Check out the two flute frontline on the Mann/Most Bethlehem album! Some pretty pretty nice stuff! Almost pennywhistle like at times, and almost south african in feel!

ubu

it's nothing against Mann, and I enjoy the tracks with the two flute front line on the Flute Flight album as well. I enjoy Jaspar more though and am glad that it is Jaspar rather than Mann on the remaining cuts, which feature only one flute. I expressed this a bit harsh probably....

Edited June 17, 2004 by couw

[king ubu]

(just felt a little friendliness for Herbie couldn't be wrong)

Shall check them out!

ubu

[mikeweil]

Has anyone mentioned the Riverside album Jaspar made? Two more flute tracks ...

The companion to Flute Flight, Flute Soufflé, is nice too! I think Herbie Mann was one who never feared comparison with other flutists, recorded with several of them, encouraged David Newman to pick up the flute more often when he was in his band. Without a doubt he was the one who did the most to popularize the flute.

The Savoy LP by Johnny Rae has Jaspar flute, too.

[brownie]

A rare TV appearance by Bobby Jaspar and other jazz greats:

1958 TV show

[B. Goren.]

A rare TV appearance by Bobby Jaspar and other jazz greats:

1958 TV show

Thank you brownie

[mjzee]

I'm listening now to the Bobby Jaspar disc in the Jazz On Vogue box set. Very nice writing, arranging and playing, notably so; I'm enjoying the heck out of it.

[Daniel A]

On the Tony Bennett Columbia album 'The Heart of my Beat' from 1957, "Robert Jasper" plays flute. There does not seem to be any other recorded appearance by such a player. Could it be Bobby Jaspar? 

[EKE BBB]

Yes, he is (according to Lord discography). Also confirmed on FSR CD:

https://www.freshsoundrecords.com/tony-bennett-albums/5239-classic-bennett-the-jazz-sides-2-lp-on-1-cd.html

Edited March 1, 2021 by EKE BBB

[Daniel A]

Thanks! I'll take Lord's word over the Essential Jazz label (though Fresh Sound usually get it right). 

[sgcim]

Another enjoyable album Jaspar is featured on that hasn't been mentioned here is Barry Galbraith's only album as a leader, "Guitar and the Wind". Jaspar  plays flute and a little TS on the album. Even though he plays a little flat on flute, he gets such a full, mellow sound, that it gives a special character to the music that no other instrument or flute player would have been able to supply. The blend between the guitar and flute is out of this world. The album is about as far away from a free-blowing session as you can get, and the arrangements by Al Cohn are very effective. The familiar rhythm section of Osie Johnson and Milt Hinton is present, but instead of Hank Jones, Eddie Costa is on vibes and piano, and Urbie Green is also featured.

I paid a lot of bread for the vinyl of this great LP years ago, but it's also available as a double CD set on LonehillJazz, along with Oscar Pettiford's Manhattan Jazz Septette, recorded two years before the BG record, in 1956. The only thing I like on the OP CD is "Rapid Transit", a feature for Costa's rumbling piano.

[Larry Kart]

4 hours ago, sgcim said:

Another enjoyable album Jaspar is featured on that hasn't been mentioned here is Barry Galbraith's only album as a leader, "Guitar and the Wind". Jaspar  plays flute and a little TS on the album. Even though he plays a little flat on flute, he gets such a full, mellow sound, that it gives a special character to the music that no other instrument or flute player would have been able to supply. The blend between the guitar and flute is out of this world. The album is about as far away from a free-blowing session as you can get, and the arrangements by Al Cohn are very effective. The familiar rhythm section of Osie Johnson and Milt Hinton is present, but instead of Hank Jones, Eddie Costa is on vibes and piano, and Urbie Green is also featured.

I paid a lot of bread for the vinyl of this great LP years ago, but it's also available as a double CD set on LonehillJazz, along with Oscar Pettiford's Manhattan Jazz Septette, recorded two years before the BG record, in 1956. The only thing I like on the OP CD is "Rapid Transit", a feature for Costa's rumbling piano.

Just listened again to "Guitar and the Wind." Billed as a mood jazz album, it's also AFAIK Galbraith's best outing as a soloist. Milt Hinton is in very fine form behind his frequent rhythm section partner. 

[mikeweil]

FWIW -  "Guitar and the Wind" was included as a bonus album on the Lonehill CD reissue of "Oscar Pettiford's The Manhattan Jazz Septette" Just placed it on the listening pile. Just saw this CD goes for ridiculous prices on amazon.

[Dub Modal]

Sam Records is reissuing a few of their titles, one of which is Chet Baker with Bobby Jaspar:

 

Anyone have this? 

[Brad]

4 minutes ago, Dub Modal said:

Sam Records is reissuing a few of their titles, one of which is Chet Baker with Bobby Jaspar:

 

Anyone have this? 

No, but I’m planning to order it. 

[sgcim]

18 hours ago, Larry Kart said:

Just listened again to "Guitar and the Wind." Billed as a mood jazz album, it's also AFAIK Galbraith's best outing as a soloist. Milt Hinton is in very fine form behind his frequent rhythm section partner. 

It's hard to believe that this was BG's only LP as a leader. He was omnipresent in the NY studios in the 50's, and has two features on Johnny Carisi's self-titled jazz workshop album; two different versions of a big band feature written for Barry entitled, "Barry's Tune". The first version had some exceptionally strong Galbraith soloing. The second version was featured on the "Into the Hot" LP, that had Gil Evans' picture on the front of it, even though he didn't write a note on the record! The second version had all the NY jazz studio heavies, Phil Woods, Clark Terry, etc...on it, and Carisi added a latin section featuring a short Phil Woods solo.

A third "Barry's Tune" (this time written by Barry himself) appeared on the Jaspar album. Clarinescapade, which was a quintet feature.There's also a ton of BG on the Lonehill Jazz compilation "Hal McKusick Quartet", some 40 cuts of the leaders quartet with BG, Hinton and Osie Johnson.

Finally, there's a lot of  BG's work on John Benson Brooks' four movement "Alabama Concerto", considering it was written for only a quartet, without drums and very little piano (two cuts).

[Larry Kart]

Another good outing for Galbraith is  the 1956 Hank Jones album "The New York Rhythm Section" (Fresh Sound), with  Jones, BG, Hinton, and Johnson -- TNYRS being the name they informally were known by because they had appeared together on so many medium and large-ensemble recordings of that time. BG plays very well there, as does everyone, but I think BG is in freer, looser form on "Guitar and the Wind."

As for "Alabama Concerto," l'll have to listen again, but my impression always has been that what BG played there was mostly or entirely written out by Brooks. In any case, as extensively as BG can be heard on that work, I wouldn't say, again relying on memory, that he takes any real solos. Rather he is or is being used by Brooks more or less as the comping/fill in "glue" to hold the work together. This he does brilliantly. It must have been a very challenging role for him to weave in and out of the solo and ensemble work of Art Farmer and Cannonball Adderley; also the folk-based writing of Brooks was not normal material, and his writing was full of speech-like stops and starts. Altogether a very worthy work. Wish there were more Brooks available; only other album of his I know is "Folk Jazz U.S.A.", with Nick Travis, Zoot Sims on alto and Al Cohn on baritone, and BG -- originally on VIK but reissued on CD by Fresh Sound, coupled with "Alabama Concerto." Brooks probably is best known for composing "You Came A Long Way from St. Louis." He and George Russell and Gil Evans were friends. Brooks did a lot of writing for big bands of the '40s. Brooks wrote a brilliant piece about  Ornette Coleman for The Jazz Review.

[mikeweil]

The Lord Disco has Galbraith playing on more than 600 sessions, but most of it is orchestral or backing singers - George Russell  and Hal McKusick were the only real progressive things he did. playing rhythm guitar for other guitarists was another speciality. He started with Claude Thornhill in 1941. He must have been an excellent reader, adaptable to what we now call mainstream of any kind, as a rhythm player and obligatos when required. 

There is half a two-guitar album with Kenny Burrell on Prestige. As it was never completed the three tracks ended up on a Guitar Soul compilation or a Best of Kenny Burrell LP. This one shows Galbraith the bopper. Both LPs have all three tracks.

[Peter Friedman]

This one has some very nice flute by Bobby Jaspar on 3 tracks.

[Larry Kart]

23 minutes ago, Peter Friedman said:

This one has some very nice flute by Bobby Jaspar on 3 tracks.

A fine album in general. Kelly's reading of "Softly as in a Morning Sunrise" may be the quintessential WK performance.