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The Belgian Jazzmen(3)

BOBBY JASPAR

Bobby Jaspar was a famous tenor sax player, with great improvisation abilities and a sound that could be soft like Stan Getz's. He was accepted as a first class musician in the USA, where he played with the greatest: Miles Davis, JJ Johnson, Walter Fuller, Toots Thielemans, Bill Evans , Jimmy Raney...etc His too short life put an end to his endless pursuit for the perfect sound. One of the great technicians of the tenor saxophone, he was a top flutist as well

_{^ Bobby Jaspar- CD- with Elvin Jones and Wilbur Little}

Robert Jaspar, born in Liège, city in the south-east of Belgium, in 1926, learned the piano and to play the clarinet in his teens. From 1945 he will perform with the 'Bob Shots' orchestra assembling some of the best Belgian Jazz musicians at their debut: Sadi (vibraphone), René Thomas (guitar), Jacques Pelzer (alto sax)...
In 1950 he went to Paris, where the Jazz scene is buoyant, due to the presence of top American players and good local players as well. Quickly Bobby Jaspar becomes one of the center of Modern Jazz in Paris. His incredible sax technique and his daring improvisations, his lyricism and his constant search for experiment made him one of the most acclaimed European Jazzmen of the fifties.

TO THE USA...
[ cd cover]

In the mid-fifties, Bobby Jaspar set in the USA, where he was sure to meet the real chore of talents for Modern Jazz. His strong Be-bop inspiration from the beginning was there influenced by other styles in the make and Jaspar tried to marry his soft sounding sax with techniques from Sonny Rollins and Warne Marsch, but always keeping his original creative talent for lyricism. He was a very good Jazz composer as well, giving top creations to the musicians of the time. Bobby Jaspar was highly appreciated by the American musicians and casted there numerous recording sessions. _{Bobby Jaspar with pianist Wynton Kelly - CD cover...>>>>}

LAST COME BACK IN EUROPE...

In 1961/62 he came back for one year in Europe giving many concerts in several countries, and making some of his last recordings.
With his friend René Thomas ( the Belgian guitarist who emigrated to Canada to be close to Jaspar) they formed a very successful quintet. In some sessions Chet Baker, the American trumpeter, joined to make a high powered sextet.
I personally remember incredible sessions by Thomas and Jaspar in Brussels during this period, with the Italian pianist Tommasi, in a club held by the Belgian bassist Benoî Quersin!
Fortunately for Jazz lovers, there are Italian and English recordings of the quintet and sextet (with Chet Baker)...

Bobby Jaspar died early 1963 from serious heart condition in New-York. He was 37 years old.

LISTEN TO BOBBY JASPAR
I would suggest the following recordings:

The Italian Session - recorded in 1962 by its quintet + Chet Baker, in Italy during the last visit of Jaspar to Europe. His sound has evoluted but lyricism is still there in his moving interpretation. The Belgian guitarist René Thomas is in a brilliant mood and casts some tremendous solos. As Baker himself is in a good day the cohesion of the orchestra is first class! With Benoît Quersin, Belgian bassist, Tommasi, Italian pianist and Daniel Humair, talented Swiss drummer. A very good Jazz record with top rendition of excellent themes. One of the best by European musicians of the time. Highly recommended to Jazz fans. Re-issued on CD by :Bluebird-RCA.

Memory of Dick - session recorded in 1955 in Paris at the Club Saint Germain; very representative of the Modern Jazz made by Europeans in Paris at the time. Very good lines by Jaspar with a soft sax sound.With René Urtreger (piano), Sacha Distel (guitar). Re-issued on CD by: Emarcy/Polygram

Phenil Isopropyl Amine - Chemical title for this typical recording of Jaspar playing the flute on all the numbers. Small orchestra wherein two vibraphonists relay (Sadi and Michel Hausser). With Jimmy Meritt (bass) and Kenny Clarke (drums). Re-issued on CD by: Emarcy/Polygram.

RENÉ THOMAS

René Thomas was one of the greatest guitarist of Modern Jazz in the sixties. His high quality technique on the guitar allied with forceful inspiration and improvisation in his music made him one of the best.
A discreet person, offering none or very few concession when playing Jazz, he was not well known outside the Jazz circle. Thomas was highly esteemed by the top American Jazz musicians, he became quickly a "musician for musicians".
His too early death deprived Jazz from one of his most prominent guitarist.
Sonny Rollins said in 1958, when Thomas joined his orchestra, that there was no other guitarist in the States with more talent!

AFTER JIMMY RANEY...
René Thomas born in Liège, Belgium, in 1927 learned to play the guitar when he was very young. However he was not aiming to a musical career until he discovered Django Rheinhardt and Modern Jazz during his teens and WWII. After the war, he joined the emerging Belgian talented musicians like Bobby Jaspar in the 'Bob Shots' orchestra and toured in Europe. Django himself, being in Brussels, heard Thomas play and was spreading the word that Thomas was one of the most promising guitar talent. The instinct of Django was right, as proved during the next decade of Thomas' music.
He rapidly set in Paris, early 1950's, to join the Modern Jazz scene of the time. On his beginning in Modern Jazz he was under the influence of Jimmy Rainey, the formidable American guitarist. But his daring harmonic variations associated to a very clear melody line and bass support, made Thomas evolute to his original style. He did his first recording under his name as leader in 1954.

THOMAS: A PIVOTAL MUSICIAN IN THE HISTORY OF JAZZ GUITAR PLAYING...
The reputation of Thomas as a fine instrumentalist and inventive musician grew rapidly among the Jazz players. He finally decided in 1956 to emigrate to Canada to stay close to his friend and music partner the tenor sax Bobby Jaspar working in the USA.

Thomas played with the best of the American musicians: Sonny Rollins, Stan Getz, Miles Davis, Jackie Mc Lean, Chet Baker... In New york he participated to a number of recording sessions, with Sony Rollins under others. He also joined in the early 60s the last European tour of Bobby Jaspar during which they cut some high-class recordings together.
After the death of Jaspar, he stayed in Europe where after a few years with his own group he played mainly with organists Lou Benett and Eddie Louiss. He died in 1975, having not deliver the totality of his immense creativity in music.
Being a central element of the evolution of the playing of Modern Jazz on guitar, the legacy and influence of Thomas can be found in the next generation of guitar players, in musicians such as Larry Coryell, John McLaughlin and Philip Catherine.

LISTEN TO RENÉ THOMAS
I would suggest the following recordings:

Guitar Groove - Recorded in NY in 1960 with Albert Heat (drums) and J R Monterose (sax). A great disc with Thomas at his peak; swinging rhythms and be-bop influence. Re-issued on CD by: OJC

Who Cares? - Recorded in 1958 with the Sonny Rollins group. Thomas at home...

The Italian Session - A top Jazz recording with Chet Baker and Bobby Jaspar. Refer here above for details

T.P.L - Recorded at the end of his life with a very fine Belgian sax player: Jacques Pelzer.

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