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Bob Magnusson

As the heart of the rhythm section, the bass is the center of any jazz ensemble and, in ways, the most important of the jazz instruments. It is, therefore, something of an irony that jazz bassists are known not so much for their own performances as for the horn players and pianists with whom they share the spotlight. With this measure in mind, Bob Magnusson must be counted as one of today's most successful jazz bassists. He has performed with the likes of Art Pepper, Slide Hampton, and some of the other greatest names in jazz. In addition, he has performed occasionally with such pop stars as Natalie Cole, Neil Diamond, and Linda Ronstadt. An examination of his discography alone, with more than 150 recording credits, would be exhaustive. Magnusson speaks of these achievements in an almost off hand manner as though it were a commonplace thing to perform with Benny Golson or Mark O'Connor.

He remains a sought after bassist for performing and recording. Last year Magnusson performed for a concert recording in Mountainview, California, with pianist John Hicks and drummer Roy McCurdy. He recently recorded with tenor saxophonist legend Bud Shank, Dave Evans, and fellow San Diegan and pianist Mike Wofford. He is also featured on a 2005 live recording release, Bouncing With Bud and Phil, featuring Shank and fellow saxophone great Phil Woods. This year brings dates with Shank in Portugal and other places in Europe. At the time of this interview he was in the process of recording, along with Sue Rainey, Terry Harrington, and Jack Sheldon, with screen star Wilford Brimley. 'He sings!' says Magnusson, revealing the surprise he found in the movie star's other talent. 'And he just charms you to death.'

The bass came to Magnusson in high school when he picked up an electric bass to play in his brother's blues band. The double bass was his next instrument after he heard Miles Davis' sublime classic, Kind of Blue, and fell in love with jazz. Soon thereafter Magnusson accompanied jazz euphonium player Gus Mancuso to Las Vegas. In this Disneyland for adults Magnusson shared the stage with Mancuso and began performing with other top jazz artists, including trumpeter Bobby Shew, and played in a number of show bands that are heavily featured in the entertainment capital.

At the age of 21, Magnusson got an opportunity that older, more experienced, performers would gladly line up for. Buddy Rich hired him as his bassist. 'It wasn't because of my knowledge of jazz, but I could read every chart he had,' he says, explaining how he, as such a greenhorn, secured the position.

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Album Review

Art Pepper: Unreleased Art Pepper: Atlanta 1980

Read "Unreleased Art Pepper: Atlanta 1980" reviewed by Angelo Leonardi


La serie delle performance inedite di Art Pepper giunge all'11° capitolo e si aggiunge alle altre registrazioni in studio o live (molte dell'etichetta Galaxy), che documentano la fase finale della sua carriera. Anche quest'album doppio è stato curato dalla vedova Laurie che ebbe il merito di sostenere la fragile personalità del marito, consentendogli di esprimere e documentare la sua maiuscola statura artistica. Figlio non voluto di due alcolizzati, la vita di Art Pepper era stata devastata da ...

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Album Review

Art Pepper: Unreleased Art Pepper Volume Eleven: Atlanta

Read "Unreleased Art Pepper Volume Eleven: Atlanta" reviewed by Peter J. Hoetjes


Laurie Pepper expands upon the legend of her late husband, Art Pepper, with the release of Atlanta. The eleventh edition in her Widow's Taste series of uncovered treasures finds the alto saxophonist at an unspecified jazz club in Atlanta, Georgia, during the spring of 1980. Firmly planted in his comeback era, Pepper found comfort and familiarity in the use of two very different pianists. Although he preferred George Cables, whom he tagged with the moniker “Mr. Beautiful," he was occasionally ...

232
Album Review

Joe Diorio: Stateside

Read "Stateside" reviewed by David Rickert


Jazz writer Gary Giddins once wrote an article entitled “Fifty Years of 'Body and Soul'", which celebrates what he calls “the greatest American song of all time". Basically a tribute to how enduring the song is (nearly 300 versions have been recorded), the article highlights some of the more memorable interpretations. Giddins also illustrates how important standards are to the jazz medium, for they provide a common ground for musicians to collaborate with one another on the spot without ever ...

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Recording

Capri Records Releases Jake Fryer's New CD "In Good Company" Featuring Bud Shank, Mike Wofford, Bob Magnusson & Joe La Barbara

Capri Records Releases Jake Fryer's New CD "In Good Company" Featuring Bud Shank, Mike Wofford, Bob Magnusson & Joe La Barbara

Source: Nancy Hudgins

Last Recording Date for Shank, Who Passed Away The Day After Recording When the British saxophonist Jake Fryer walked out of Studio West in San Diego on April 1st 2009 after completing this recording In Good Time (Capri Records, January 18, 2011), he couldn't have imagined that Bud Shank would not have survived another day. Bud went home the day after the recording and passed away a few hours later. “The last words Bud said to me with a warm ...

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Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Unreleased Art...

Widow's Taste
2021

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Stateside

Diorio Jazz Records
2001

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Two Generations Of...

New World Records
1982

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