Bobby Few facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bobby Few
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Bobby Few in 2007
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| Background information | |
| Born | October 21, 1935 Cleveland, Ohio, U.S. |
| Died | January 6, 2021 (aged 85) |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Instruments | Piano, vocals |
| Associated acts | Albert Ayler, Steve Lacy, Frank Wright |
Bobby Few (born October 21, 1935 – died January 6, 2021) was a talented American jazz musician. He was known for playing the piano and singing.
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Early life
Bobby Few was born in Cleveland, Ohio. He grew up in the Fairfax neighborhood. His mother encouraged him to learn classical piano. But Bobby soon discovered jazz music. He listened to his father's "Jazz at the Philharmonic" records.
His father helped him get his first music jobs. Bobby started playing gigs around Cleveland. He played with other local musicians like Bill Hardman and Frank Wright. When he was young, he also met famous jazz artists like Tadd Dameron. He even played with Albert Ayler in high school.
Music career
In the late 1950s, Bobby Few moved to New York City. There, he led his own music group from 1958 to 1964. He met and worked with many amazing musicians. These included singer Brook Benton and saxophonists Rahsaan Roland Kirk and Albert Ayler. Bobby played on several of Ayler's albums. He also recorded music with Booker Ervin and Alan Silva.
In 1969, Bobby moved to France. He quickly became part of the jazz scene there. He often worked with musicians like Archie Shepp, Sunny Murray, and Steve Lacy. Starting in 2001, he traveled the world with American saxophonist Avram Fefer. They recorded four popular CDs together.
Bobby Few played music all over Europe. He also made many trips back to the United States. Later in his career, he played with saxophonist Charles Gayle. He also led his own music group in Paris. Bobby was working on a special music project to honor Booker Ervin. It was called Few's Blues.
In 2008, Bobby Few was interviewed for a documentary film. The film was about drummer Sunny Murray and was called "Sunny's Time Now".
Bobby Few passed away in January 2021. He was 85 years old.
Playing style
Bobby Few had many different ways of playing the piano. Music expert Kevin Whitehead described his style. He said Bobby could play soft, single notes. He could also play rich, romantic chords. Sometimes he would play loud, clunky sounds like Monk. But Bobby was often busier on the piano than Monk. He could also play in a "free style," using the sustain pedal to change how full his sound was.
Music recordings
Bobby Few recorded many albums during his career. He made albums as the main artist and also played on albums for other musicians.
As the main artist
Bobby Few released several albums where he was the leader or co-leader. Some of these include:
- More or Less Few (1973)
- Solos and Duets (1975)
- Few Coming Thru (1977)
- Continental Jazz Express (1979 and 2000)
- Rhapsody in Few (1983)
- Mysteries (1992)
- Expatriate Kin (1997)
- Few and Far Between (2000)
- Kindred Spirits (2004)
- Heavenly Places (2004)
- Lights and Shadows (2004)
- Sanctuary (2005)
- True Wind (2007)
Playing with other musicians
Bobby Few also played piano on many albums for other jazz artists. Some of the famous musicians he recorded with include:
- Albert Ayler (on Music is the Healing Force of the Universe and The Last Album)
- Booker Ervin (on The In Between)
- Avram Fefer (on Few and Far Between, Kindred Spirits, Heavenly Places, and Sanctuary)
- Noah Howard (on Space Dimension and Red Star)
- Steve Lacy (on many albums like Songs, The Flame, Momentum, and The Door)
- David Murray (on Flowers Around Cleveland)
- Archie Shepp (on Pitchin Can and Coral Rock)
- Alan Silva (on Seasons)
- Frank Wright (on Uhuru na Umoja and One for John)
See also
In Spanish: Bobby Few para niños
