Before becoming one of the heavies on the 1950’s hard bop scene on flute and tenor, Bobby Jaspar spent some time in Paris with some of the forward thinking French artists like Henri Renaud/p, Pieree Michelot/b and Rene’ Thomas/g. These 25 songs find Jaspar in a variety of settings, mostly with the band named “The Bob Shots” in the early days of Bebop of the mid to late 40s.
With a Dizzy Gillespie-inspired trumpeters Herman Sandy and Jean Bourguignon, The Bob Shots bop hard on classics like “Oop Bop Sh’Bam,” “Anthropology” and a frantic “Our Delight.” While the audio fidelity is a bit lacking, the enthusiasm is not, with aggressive drumming on “Theoniouis” and Bourguignon glowing on “I Can’t Get Started” and Bobby Jaspar slithering on “Relaxin’ At Camarillo.”
What is a gas is when Sadi comes to the mic for some vocals, sounding like Satchmo on a ribald “That’s My Desire,” going bel canto on “Pastel Blue” and getting some fun out of life on a high striding “Ain’t Misbehavin’.”
A 1951 quartet has Jaspar with Henri Renaud/p and Piere Michelot on a Lester Young-inspired “Tenderley” and “How About You” while his rarely played clarinet evokes Benny Goodman on a cool “Don’t Be That Way” and a two stepping “I’ve Found A New Baby.” A spacious “Body and Soul” with Sadi on vibes, Rene Thomas’ guitar and Georges Leclercq playing bass features Jaspar blowing smoke rings with delight. A bopper’s delight.