Bob Graf

Bob Graf was a vintage exemplory case of a jazzman who also enjoyed local-hero position in in his hometown but never became popular nationally. Given birth to and elevated in St. Louis, the tenor saxophonist was a pal of Clark Terry and performed alongside the celebrated trumpeter in a little group Count number Basie led in 1948. Graf (who was simply affected by Lester Youthful, but experienced a harder firmness) never documented using the group, although he continued to be in Basie’s use until 1950 (when he was changed by Wardell Grey). After documenting with Woody Herman’s big music group in 1950-51, Graf was presented on a few of Chet Baker’s big music group recordings for Pacific Jazz in 1956. In 1959 and the first 1960s, Graf performed around St. Louis with an organization that included guitarist Give Green, and later on in the 1960s, he used Gerry Mulligan’s big music group. In the 1970s, Graf continuing to try out the St. Louis golf club picture when he wasn’t fixing instruments in an area music shop. Graf is at his 50s when he passed away in 1981. Regrettably, the saxman do very little documenting as a innovator. Documented live at St. Louis’ Wesminster University in 1958 and reissued on Compact disc in 1992, the Delmark launch Bob Graf at Wesminster provides listeners a uncommon chance to listen to the saxman leading several his own.