Jazz Articles about Bob Downes

About Bob Downes

Album Review

Open Music è il disco di esordio del flautista inglese Bob Downes. Venne registrato e pubblicato nel 1969, lo stesso anno nel quale “Dream Journey," la lunga composizione che occupava il lato A della originale edizione in vinile, venne eseguita, a fine novembre, per il Ballet Rambert che l'aveva commissionata. L'album è decisamente più sperimentale e classicheggiante rispetto ai lavori successivi di Bob Downes, che si inserirono nel filone del jazz-rock inglese. L'unica eccezione, che fornisce precise anticipazioni in tal ...

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Album Review

Bob Downes: Open Music

Read "Open Music" reviewed by Roger Farbey

by Roger Farbey
April 4, 2010

Open Music was Bob Downes' debut album, recorded for the Philips label in 1969 and his impact on the UK scene was such that he was voted top place in the flute category of the Melody Maker jazz poll's British musician section for three consecutive years from 1972. It has until now never been reissued on CD and rare vinyl copies have attracted high sums in second-hand markets. Although Downes is best known for his flute playing, he is a ...

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Album Review

Bob Downes: Electric City

Read "Electric City" reviewed by Roger Farbey

by Roger Farbey
April 1, 2010

Despite this 1970 album having been previously reissued on CD in Germany and Japan, this is the first time it has received such an accolade in the United Kingdom, its country of origin. Bob Downes is a talented multi-instrumentalist and composer and this album was one of his incursions into the world of jazz-rock, although he was equally at home playing in a free jazz context with his acoustic Open Music trio. Originally released on Polygram's Vertigo label, Electric City ...

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Album Review

Bob Downes Open Music Trio: Flashback

Read "Flashback" reviewed by Roger Farbey

by Roger Farbey
December 12, 2009

Bob Downes may be a name unfamiliar to many, but to some his name is synonymous with an electrifying period in British jazz. Downes was on the cusp of this new movement and recorded some idiosyncratic albums between 1969 and 1970. Deep Down Heavy was almost a rock album, whereas the as yet un-reissued Open Music recorded for Philips was much nearer to the free jazz genre. Two others were Diversions a trio album (for his own label Openian) and ...