Who is Bob Magnusson?

[jsbarber]

Bob's recent Liquid Lines CD is now available through CD Baby. There are 2 minute clips that you can listen to:

http://cdbaby.com/cd/magnusson

Also, the Sax player on this CD, Tripp Sprague, is having a CD release performance for his new CD at Dizzy's in San Diego this Saturday 10/14/2006. He, and the rest of Bob's cadre are outstanding players. Oh yeah, the cover (at Dizzy's for this show) is a whopping 12 bucks. What a deal!

Jim

[peegypops]

Originally Posted by Andy Allen

I thought I'd ressurect this old thread as I'm listening right now to Art Pepper's "Hollywood All-Star Sessions"

Bob Magnusson features heavily in this great box-set. (It also features John Heard who is another LA cat who regularly plays less than a mile from here at Charlie O's.)

Anyway, every few months I blow my mind listening to Bob M's playing with Art - it never ceases to amaze; especially considering the up-tempo of many of the tunes.

If you don't feel like shelling out almost $80 for the full set (although it's fully worth it) you can download individual tracks at eMusic here: http://www.emusic.com/album/10605/10605328.html

I suggest starting with CD3, which will knock you out

I agree I'm not a bassist but am a Bob Magnusson fan and have the Hollywood all stars CDs( just joined the forum to add my bit)...it features several bassists but you can easily pick out bob...whether he made friends with the engineer or what ...he stands out.. clean beautifully recorded bass and impeccable lines no matter what tempo...glad to see he has a web site and if only I lived in San Diego (I'm in Devon England)I could pop down to Harrys bar and see him most weeks

[Dan Conwell]

This has been a long time, but I seem to remember reading about Bob Magnusson in Downbeat around 1979. I was thinking that he was actually in the San Diego Symphony on French horn, and quit to take up the bass and was soon back in the Orchestra as a bassist. Can anyone verify this, or have I been standing too close to the drummer for too long?

[Bob Branstetter]

Originally Posted by Dan Conwell

This has been a long time, but I seem to remember reading about Bob Magnusson in Downbeat around 1979. I was thinking that he was actually in the San Diego Symphony on French horn, and quit to take up the bass and was soon back in the Orchestra as a bassist. Can anyone verify this, or have I been standing too close to the drummer for too long?

I first saw Bob Magnusson in the late 1960s playing in the showroom at the old Kansas City Playboy Club with the late great singer Sarah Vaughan, along with Jan Hammer on piano, and Jimmy Cobb on drums. I remember him telling us about his previous experiences working on the "Buddy Rich Marching Band". He was young at the time, so I doubt if he had time to be in the Symphony before that.

[Andy Allen]

Originally Posted by Dan Conwell

This has been a long time, but I seem to remember reading about Bob Magnusson in Downbeat around 1979. I was thinking that he was actually in the San Diego Symphony on French horn, and quit to take up the bass and was soon back in the Orchestra as a bassist. Can anyone verify this, or have I been standing too close to the drummer for too long?

Not entirely inaccurate, it seems - this from Allmusic :

"A top jazz and studio bassist, Bob Magnusson has worked with virtually everyone in modern jazz. The son of a clarinetist who played with the San Diego Symphony, Magnusson studied French horn for 12 years before switching to bass in 1967. His talent and sound developed very quickly, touring with Buddy Rich's Orchestra by 1968, playing with the San Diego Symphony and having two stints with Sarah Vaughan (1971-72 and 1975-76). Magnusson, who has been a studio musician for decades, was part of the co-op group Road Work Ahead from 1979-82. He has recorded with John Klemmer (Nexus), Art Pepper, Benny Golson, Joe Farrell, Linda Ronstadt (with Nelson Riddle's Orchestra), Bud Shank, Laurindo Almeida and Shorty Rogers, among others. Counting the Road Work Ahead projects, Magnusson has led record dates for Discovery in 1979, 1980 and 1984, and Trend in 1982."

Andy

[jsbarber]

Originally Posted by Andy Allen

Not entirely inaccurate, it seems - this from Allmusic :

"... Magnusson studied French horn for 12 years before switching to bass in 1967. ... Magnusson has led record dates for Discovery in 1979, 1980 and 1984, and Trend in 1982."

Andy

Bob was 6 years old when he started playing French Horn, and switched to DB at 18. So, as BB says, he was too young to have played in the SD Orchestra on French Horn, although he did later play as a bassist. He was touring with Buddy Rich after two years on DB though. Talk about a quick study!

Regarding the second part of the quote, there is a more recent Road Work Ahead CD from 2003, and also a 2006 Bob Magnusson CD called Liquid Lines both of which are really good. But as far as the older recordings are concerned, my two favorites are with Laurindo Almeida - Outra Vez, and Chamber Jazz. These two CDs really showcase Bob's playing, and are available used through eBay.

Jim

[buddyro57]

I saw a older video of the Rondstadt/Riddle project. Magnusson was playing bass, great sound- switching back and forth between arco and pizz, sounded great with the bow, then very swinging when needed. Very impressive player!
Jon Schwabe

[Erik V]

I just saw Magnusson last night at the San Diego Bass summit, and by god, it was inspiring. What a rock solid player with a beautiful melodic voice.