JazzWax Video: Bobby Jaspar, 1958

Since we’re on a bit of a flute kick, let’s end the week with Belgian flutist (and saxophonist) Bobby Jaspar. In the following video clip, he’s performing in Cannes, France, in July 1958 with Donald Byrd (tr), Walter Davis Jr. (p), Doug Watkins (b) and Art Taylor (d). They’re playing a contrafact on I’ll Remember April—a contrafact being a newly invented melody on top of the chord changes of an existing established song.

Dig Jaspar’s swinging flute and the impeccable quality of Byrd’s muted trumpet, not to mention the regal bop played by Davis, the taught bass lines of Watkins and the drive of AT’s brushes. Here’s the clip (for my European friends, who may find the U.S. clip inoperable, I suggest typing “Donald Byrd Quintet + Cannes 1958” into the YouTube search bar)…