Bobby Jaspar And His All Stars

 

Minor Drops

Bobby Jaspar And His All Stars

EmArcy MG 36105

Mercury Records

1958

From the back cover: Bobby Jaspar is the latest in a long line of distinguished musicians who have helped to show in recent years that jazz is by no means an American monopoly. A major figure in Continental jazz since 1951, when he won the Jazz Hot poll as the number one French tenor saxophonist, he has two biographical links with the immortal Django Reinhardt: both were born in Belgium, but found fame in France. A native of Liége, the son and grandson of musicians, Bobby began his piano studies in 1937, at the age of eleven, and took up clarinet at sixteen. After working for American Army Special Services in Germany, he moved to Paris, playing with Henri Renaud, Bernard Peiffer and others. From 1954 to1956 he had his own combo, mainly at the Club St. Germain in Paris.

Originally inspired by Don Byas and Flip Phillips, Bobby later underwent a Lester Young influence and has clearly been aware of the impact of Stan Getz on the modern tenor scene. Married to American singer and pianist Blossom Dearie, who was a founder of the famous Blue Stars vocal group featured on EmArcy Records, he came to the United States in April, 1956 and has since enjoyed great success here, playin with Gil Fuller, J. J. Johnson and others.

On these sides, recorded in Paris, Bobby has the help of an all-star rhythm section. Pianist Rene Urtreger, considered by many critics to be France's outstanding Bud Powell-inspired pianist, and has been heard previously on records with Lionel Hampton, Sacha Distel, the guitarist, gained much of his early experience listening to Jimmy Gourley and Jimmy Raney. Jean-Louis Viale won the Jazz Hot referendum as France's number one drummer. Bassist Benito Quersin, who made his debut as a pianist in 1947, once toured with guitarist Toots Thielmans, now a member of George Shearing's quintet, and played with Chet Baker during the latter's Eropean tour.

Bags' Groove shows off the entire quintet to great advantage in the Milt Jackson blues that has become a jazz standard. Memory Of Dick was written by Bobby Jaspar as a tribute to Dick Twardzik, the young pianist who died tragically in Paris while touring with Chet Baker. There is no guitar on this number. Milestones, a Miles Davis original, features the charming tenor-guitar unison sound that gives the group a quality reminiscent of the old Stan Getz quintet. Minor Drops was composed buy the Belgian pianist, Francis Coffetiers. I'll Remember April features Bobby on flute instead of tenor and reveals him as one of the outstanding modern soloists on the  instrument. There is no piano on this track, nor on the next one, You Stepped Out Of A Dream, which features Bobby back on tenor. I can't Get Started is a relaxed treatment of the Vernon Duke standard with fine solos by Bobby, Rene and Sacha. Night In Tunisia follows what has now become the traditional routine of they Dizzy Gillespie composition, with the customary eight-bar interlude between the first and second choruses.

The European jazz critics have already saluted the remarkable contribution of Bobby Jaspar to the modern solo scene; in fact, the votes of three of them, André Hodeir, Charles Delauney and Mike Butcher, elevated him to victory in the new star tenor sax category of the Down Beat critics' poll in the summer of 1956. With Bobby now a resident of the homeland of jazz, it is sage to predict that the American critics will soon be voicing similar enthusiasm – especially like these to guide them.

From Billboard - May 12, 1958: Bobby Jaspar, Belgian tenor man, who recently has been with the J. J. Johnson combo, has been touted by European critics as one of the bright new jazz names on today's scene. Jazz buffs who hear this set will probably agree with this opinion, as Jaspar shows off some brightly listenable performances on this well-made LP. Tunes include "Bag's Groove," "Milestones," "I'll Remember April" and "A Night In Tunisia." Set was cut in France with a group of swinging French cats.

Bag's Groove

Memory Of Dick

Milestones

Minor Drops

I'll Remember April

You Stepped Out Of A Dream

I Can't Get Started

Night In Tunisia