Bobby Few October 21, 1935 - January 6, 2021

 

From early sessions with Albert Ayler to his most recent recordings with Waclaw Zimpell and his own discography, Bobby Few was a singular voice in the free jazz area. Still lyrical in the middle of the stormy twin team of Frank Wright and Noah Howard, his music was the real reflect of himself, a quiet guy, peaceful. Trained in classical music and gospel, his touch on the key was immediately recognisable.

Here is a breath taking performance in solo. I have added to the file an interview that I’ve realised for radio campus Paris in May 2017, it is the original conversation in english before an editing and translate with addition of music for the program in french.

1 Continental Jazz Express

2 Beautiful Africa

3 China

4 The Journey Continues

5 Like A Waterfall

6 En Route

7 Continental Jazz Express

Recorded in live performance at the Vision Festival, New York City, on May 27, 2000.

Boxholder Records BXH026 cd

CENTER OF THE WORLD - CENTER OF THE WORLD (CENTER OF THE WORLD, 1972)

 

A. Center Of The World, Part I

B. Center Of The World, Part II


Alan Silva, bass, cello, voice
Muhammad Ali, drums, voice
Bobby Few, piano, voice 
Frank Wright, tenor and soprano saxophone, voice

Recorded live at De Doelen, Rotterdam on 26 March 1972

Center Of The World ‎– CW 001

LP Rip

FRANK WRIGHT QUARTET - LAST POLKA IN NANCY? (CENTER OF THE WORLD, 1973)

 

A1. Winter Echoes
A2. Guanna Dance Part I

B1. Guanna Dance Part II
B2. Thinking Of Monk
B3. Doing The Polka

Alan Silva, bass
Muhammad Ali, drums
Bobby Few, piano
Frank Wright, tenor saxophone, bass clarinet

Recorded live in Nancy, Jazz Pulsations Festival, 10 October 1973

Center Of The World ‎– CW 002

LP Rip

BOBBY FEW TRIO "FEW AND FAR BETWEEN" (ADÈS, 1991)

Here is one more recording with Bobby Few on vocals and piano.


Bobby Few, piano, vocal
Raymond Ndoumbe, electric bass
Noel McGhie, drums

01. I Don't Want To Cry Over You     6:10
02. Mister Kidnap Man     4:30
03. Few's Boogie     1:43
04. Joy     2:14
05. I'd Tell The World     1:43
06. Gospel     5:25
07. Dance All Night     6:27
08. Take Me     3:34
09. I Can't Get Along With You     3:36
10. Girls Are Fun     3:04
11. Latin Quarter     2:46
12. China     3:48

Written by and words by Bobby Few

 Recorded in Montreuil, France at Studio Cargo.
Released on Disques Adès in 1991.

Bobby Few - Let It Rain - Self Produced 2002

01 Let it rain
02 Gina
03 Something there
04 Stop pimping the kids
05 Take me
06 Part of your world
07 Let it rain (part 2)
Harry Swift: bass on 1, 2, 7
Raymond Doumbe: bass on 3, 5, 6
Bob Demeo: drums on 1
Jean Claude Montredon: Drums on 2
Noël McGhie: drums on 3, 5, 6
Jon Handelsman: tenor sax on 1, 2
Rasul Siddik: trumpet on 1, 2
Bobby Few: piano & vocals
Recorded in January 2002. cd self produced BF01

THE MARZETTE WATTS ENSEMBLE "THE MARZETTE WATTS ENSEMBLE" (SAVOY, 1968)

Marzette Watts, tenor saxophone
Georg Turner, cornet
Marty Cook, trombone
Frank Kipers, violin
Bobby Few, piano
Cevera Jeffries Jr., bass
Juini Booth, bass
Steve Tintweiss, bass
J.C. Moses, drums
Tom Berge, drums
Amy Sheffer, voice
Patty Waters, voice
Bill Dixon, producer, piano on A2


A1. octobersong (Dixon) 6:58
A2. Play It Straight (Coleman) 3:46
A3. F.L.O.A.R.S.S. ((Watts) 4:57
B1. Medley (Watts) 9:02
B2. Lonely Woman (Coleman) 5:49
B3. Joudpoo (Watts) 4:04

Recorded 1968 in New York. A1, B1, B2: Recorded by Stereo Sound Studios, N. Y. C.

Savoy Records MG-12193 (1969)
(vinyl rip)

THE FRANK WRIGHT QUARTET - CHURCH NUMBER NINE (CALUMET, 1973)

A. Church Number Nine Part 1

B. Church Number Nine Part 2

Noah Howard, alto saxophone
Muhammad Ali, drums
Bobby Few, piano
Frank Wright, tenor saxophone

Recorded in Paris on March 7, 1970.

Calumet ‎– C 3674

LP Rip

THE FRANK WRIGHT QUARTET - CHURCH NUMBER NINE (ODEON ‎– OP-88019)

A. チャー・ナソバー・ナインパート 1

B. チャー・ナソバー・ナインパート 2

ノア・ハワード, alto saxophone
モハメッド・アリ, drums
ボビー・フュー, piano
フランク・ライト, tenor saxophone

Japanese re-issue with extra material

LP Rip

BOBBY FEW ‎– CONTINENTAL JAZZ EXPRESS (VOGUE, 1979)

A1. Continental Jazz Express
A2. Feeling So Alone

B1. Beautiful Africa
B2. The Spleeping Clock
B3. Everybody Has The Right To Be Free



Bobby Few, piano


Recorded March 12, 1979 in Studio Sidney Bechet.

Vogue ‎– JT. 2605

Vinyl Rip

BOBBY FEW ‎– MORE OR LESS FEW (CENTER OF THE WORLD, 1973)

A1. More Or Less Few
A2. Few's Blues
A3. Simone
A4. I'll Never Be The Same Again

B.  Chasing The Piano



Bobby Few, piano, melodica, voice
Alan Silva, bass
Muhammad Ali, drums

Center Of The World ‎– CW 003

Vinyl Rip

FALL, FEW, MAKA – DIOM FUTA (FREE LANCE, 1979)

A1. Sunflowers
A2. Dream Drums

B1. Diom Futa
B2. Black Snow

Cheik Tidiane Fall, percussion
Bobby Few, piano
Jo Maka, alto saxophone
Anedra Shockley, vocals (B2)

Recorded in Paris, May 1979

Free Lance - FRL001

Vinyl Rip

JAZZGALERIE NICKELSDORF "THE 20th ANNIVERSARY ALBUM"

One of the most important Festivals in Europe? - I say it's true!

Go there - have a listen there - meet someone(s) there - > http://www.konfrontationen.at/







JAZZGALERIE NICKELSDORF "THE 20th ANNIVERSARY ALBUM"



1. Athanor
Harun Ghulum Barabbas, alto saxophone
Walter Muhammed Malli, drums, soprano saxophone
Richard Ahmad Pechoc, piano
Josef Traindl, trombone

Atlantis (03.12); recorded on 22 April 1978


2. Frank Wright Quartet
Reverend Frank Wright, tenor saxophone
Bobby Few, piano
Jack Gregg, bass
Muhammed Ali, drums

Cowboys & indians (07.57); recorded on 14 March 1981


3. Rova Saxophone Quartet
John Raskin, alto, baritone, soprano saxophones, clarinet
Larry Ochs, alto, tenor and soprano saxophones
Andrew Voigt, alto and soprano saxophones, flute
Bruce Ackley, alto and soprano saxophones, clarinet

74 882 (07.48); recorded on 23 October 1982


4. Schlippenbach Trio

Alexander von Schlippenbach, piano
Evan Parker, tenor saxophone
Paul Lovens, drumset

Option Abdullah (10.13); recorded on 16 April 1983


5. Anthony Braxton Quartet
Anthony Braxton, saxophone
Marilyn Crispell, piano
John Lindberg, bass
Gerry Hemingway, drums

Composition 23M (11.11); recorded on 27 October 1984


6. Roscoe Mitchell, saxophone

Solo (08.46); recorded on 27 September 1986


7. Trio Clusone
Michael Moore, saxophone
Ernst Reijseger, cello
Han Bennink, drums, percussion

Wie beim Falb die Kuckucksuhr tickt, so tickt sie nirgendwo (10.52);
recorded on 3 September 1993


8. Frisque Concordance
Georg Graewe, piano
John Butcher, saxophone
Hans Schneider, bass
Martin Blume, drums

Spellings (09.01); recorded on 19 November 1994


9. Gerry Hemingway Quintet
Michael Moore, saxophone
Wolter Wierbos, trombone
Ernst Reijseger, cello
Mark Dresser, bass
Gerry Hemingway, drums, percussion

Beef (07.51); recorded on 26 October 1996


10.(applause for ten seconds)


This CD was originally produced for the 20th Anniversary of the Festival "Konfrontationen" in Nickelsdorf, Austria (1997).

.

BOBBY FEW / ALAN SILVA / FRANK WRIGHT "SOLOS & DUETS - VOL.2" (SUN, 1975)

Here's volume one > http://inconstantsol.blogspot.com/2011/11/bobby-few-alan-silva-frank-wright-solos.html


Enjoy!





BOBBY FEW / ALAN SILVA / FRANK WRIGHT "SOLOS & DUETS - VOL.2"


Frank Wright, tenor saxophone, bass clarinet, voice
Alan Silva, bass, violin, piano, voice
Bobby Few, piano, voice


A1. Song For Cyrile, Children Of Joy 03:40
A2. El Torro 03:55
A3. Unknown Step 16:44
B1. Echo Send 08:05
B2. Sound Of A 07:59



A1 & A2 recorded chez Palm, November 1975.
A3 & B2 recorded in Reims, November 1975.
B1 ??

SUN SR103


(lp rip provided by Nick!)

.

Bobby Few Trio - live at Sant'Anna Arresi - Italy 2010

I've been delighted to see that some of the records released on the Centre of the World label have been popping up on this blog lately. So about time then to do a quick update on one of the main featured artists on that label, and as it turns out, very much active today, happily.

This is off a recent trio concert in Sardinia, Italy, with new folks in the rhythm section. To keep things in some sort of perspective, I'm going to throw into the ring an old trio recording done back in the early 70s and released on the Centre label and at that time with Alan Silva and Mohammad Ali backing him up. This was "More or less Few" which some old timers to the blog scene might have seen or downloaded before, but still relevant to new timers who may not know this or the other seminal pieces from that time. Do listen to the two versions of "Chasing the piano" and compare notes, as it were. For hard core audio freaks, this was from the days of mp3s, but I'm hoping to do an upgrade from a less scratchy, second copy.

Got a couple of more Fews which I'm hoping to get to, but meanwhile, dig this!
More than an hour of goodness!

Nuthin but the facts:

AI CONFINI TRA SARDEGNA E JAZZ 2010 - Bob Few Trio

Bob Few, pianoforte, vocals / Henry Robert Swift, bass / Ichiro Onoe, drums
with guest Ernest Dawkins (sax) on track 05

recorded in Piazza del Nuraghe, Sant'Anna Arresi (Sardegna/Sardinia - Italy)
on thursday 26 August 2010

tracklist
++++++++++++++
(00-radio introduction by Pino Saulo) 3.17
01-Music Is The Healing Force Of The Universe 6.14
02-One For Albert 15.12
03-China 6.47
04-introduction to Dawkins 0.40
05-Chasing The Piano [with drums and bass solos] 19.00
06-I Don't Work, You Dig 1.13
07-to Ellington 7.02
08-Come On Back blues 6.22
09-Music Is The Healing Force Of The Universe [reprise] 5.17
10-radio outro 0.08

running time : 67'47" (without radio intro and outro)
WITH radio intro and outro, it would be 71'12"

FM radio broadcast by "Il Cartellone - Radio 3 Suite Jazz", Radio 3 RAI [third channel of Italian national radio], on tuesday 04 January 2011, 20:38 hours.

This is from the Dime network, so thanks to seeders, leechers et al.

BOBBY FEW / ALAN SILVA / FRANK WRIGHT "SOLOS & DUETS" (SUN, 1975)

...thank you, Nick!




BOBBY FEW / ALAN SILVA / FRANK WRIGHT "SOLOS & DUETS"


Frank Wright, tenor saxophone, bass clarinet, voice
Alan Silva, bass, violin, piano, voice
Bobby Few, piano, voice


A 1. Grenada 15:51
A 2. Fondamental Blues 08:02
B 1. Who Got The Keys? 16:32
B 2. We Have Found The Keys! 07:43


Grenada recorded in Massy, January 1975.
A2 recorded in Reims, November 1975.
B1 and B2 recorded in Paris, April 1975.

SUN SR102
CENTER OF THE WORLD CW 006

(lp rip from SR102)

.

Alan Silva Bells Of Sant'Anna - Live in Sant'Anna Arresi '10

An original project for the 25th
edition of the Sardinian festival,
well worth listening...















Rec. live at "Piazza del Nuraghe", Sant’Anna Arresi, Italy,
on August 24, 2010 (radio broadcast)

Alan Silva,bass,synth,conductor
Evan Parker/Ernest Dawkins/Greg Ward,reeds
Shaun Johnson,trumpet
Joseph Bowie,trombone
Bobby Few,piano
On Ka'a Davis,guitar
Juini Booth,bass
Warren Smith,drums

1. Bells Of Sant'Anna [A.Silva] (1.03:39)

Rev. Frank Wright Quintet - Live in Moers '81

Just come back from Rome where i've spent some nice
days with "Ilario", drunk the bottle of "Brunello di
Montalcino" and copied some great recordings from
"Ilario"'s archive.
I want to start with Rev. Frank thinking this will make
many people happy.

Rec. live at the 10th "Moers Festival", Moers, Germany,
on June 6, 1981 (mics recording)

Frank Wright,tenor saxophone,bass clarinet,vocal
Arthur Jones,alto saxophone
Bobby Few,piano
Jean Jacques Avenel,bass
Muhammad Ali,drums

1. Burkhard Hennen Intro (0:45)
2. Track #1 (25:29)
3. Track #2 (12:10)
4. Track #3 (28:03)

Total Time 1:06:29

STEVE LACY SEXTET - WUPPERTAL 1983

Steve Lacy Sextet

Wuppertal, Germany,1983-January-14

Steve Lacy,soprano sax
Steve Potts,soprano and alto sax
Irene Aebi,cello,voice
Bobby Few,piano
Jean-Jacques Avenel,bass
Oliver Johnson,drums


Total timing 54:31

1 Announcement Speaker 2:10
2 Sands Suite: Stand 9:10
3 Sands Suite: Jump 10:48
4/5 Sands Suite: Fall 6:39/2:15
6 Gay Paree Bop 19:41
7 Announcement SL/StP 0:32
8 Announcement Speaker 0:16/0:08
10 The Whammies! (fade-out) 2:52

Lineage: fm > cdr trade > flac > dime

Sound Rating: A-



From this concert exists some more files:

Stamps/The Blinks/Raps 16:21/The Whammies! complete

Thanks to JAZZRITA who uploaded this on dime in 09.04.19

Steve Lacy with his "classical" and enduring band. An astonishing group with Potts, Aeby and Avenel. In my opinion one of the best groups of the eighties. In 1983 Steve Lacy was still at the top of his form and with this same sextet recorded that masterpiece called Songs.

Enjoy the music!


I had this new graphic design program and enjoyed myself thinking to this fake album cover. The shot was taken by me in the court of a marvellous ancient villa in northern Italy just before a marvellous concert given by Roberto Ottaviano (sop, sax) and Han Bennink (drums). I thought this, as the whole concert by the way, could be a fine homage to Mr. Steve Lacy.

Noah Howard "Space Dimension" (1970, America 30 AM 6108) FLAC

Not much time at the moment so I'll just upload an old rip already on my hard drive (but don't worry it does not mean this is second rate music !). Should complement nicely the other Noah Howard posted recently by Sotise. It is also one of the America titles which have not been reissued on CD a few years ago by Universal.

I think this one has been uploaded already on Church Number 9 or another site in mp3 so I provided only .flac files this time, in .rar archives for everyone who had problems with the .zips.

For those who might have missed it, Mr. Howard's "Black Arc" LP with its masterful A-side has been reissued by Bo'Weavil Recordings.

To conclude, be sure to check the documentation post (here), which has been updated with extensive interviews of Derek Bailey, David S. Ware, William Parker, John Tchicai as well as some others. Contributions are still welcomed !

FRANK WRIGHT QUARTET "LIVE IN NEW YORK CITY SUMMER 1973"

a very well recorded frank wright broadcast from 1973.

This features silva, few and Harold e smith , who must have been a fill in for muhammed ali.
I only know smith through his association with joe mcphee’s cjr output.

This concert truly is incredible, divided into two lenghthy improvised tracks.
Its certainly as fine as anything officially released by wright silva and few.

Many thanks to the original taper/traders/seeders/boromir and glmlr

Enjoy


REVEREND FRANK WRIGHT QUARTET

live aud recording total 83 min
New York Musicians Festival, summer 1973

frank wright......tenor sax, voice
bobby few.........piano, voice
alan silva........bass, voice
harold e. smith...drums, voice

track 1 - improvisation part one 40:37
track 2 - improvisation part two 42:30