Bob Holmes

The momentary appearance of the blip on the radar screen is suggested with the discography of pianist Bob Holmes, but jazz oral history suggests a far more long-range presence, certainly involving interesting projects that unfortunately usually do not appear to be documented. Discographical criminal offense picture investigator Tom Lord discovers Holmes present on the grand total of two documenting periods between 1974 and 1978, producing sound on a combined mix of acoustic and electrical keyboards and percussion. He’s, of course, not similar person as reed participant Bobby Holmes, energetic in an previous era and most likely guilty of playing on two documenting sessions each day. Acquiring one’s method to Holmes undoubtedly network marketing leads to drummer John Betsch, a fantastic participant who received wide publicity as an associate from the Steve Lacy Quartet. In interviews, Betsch provides shown Holmes as among among the very first music artists he began using back in the faculty times. This cooperation clicked; Holmes joined up with an organization the drummer started leading, the John Betsch Culture. This group will end up being appreciated fondly by those luckily enough to have already been present in NEW YORK through the so-called loft jazz times of the ’70s, executing, for example, on the celebrations held in Studio room Rivbea. Possibly the group’s name was partially in charge of its general unpopularity, a tad as well near to the John Birch Culture, a right-wing business whose recorded communications about jazz like a Communist menace could not be regarded as swinging. There is an recording for the Strata-East collective, presumably up to Betsch’s requirements, since efforts upon this label had been made by the music artists themselves. The keyboardist added solidly towards the lineup of compositions, like the album’s name track, “Globe Blossom,” the African-influenced “Ode to Ethiopia,” and an excellent piece co-written using the bandleader which offered a musical look at of “Open up Pastures.” Bassist Billy Cox, of Jimi Hendrix popularity, has also pointed out dealing with an ensemble known as Bob Holmes as well as the Jazz Excursion, but because of the thick way to obtain music artists with this name, and the actual fact that group hasn’t recorded, it really is hard to determine for several if this is actually the same fellow. At the very least, a 1997 compilation of songs from numerous Strata-East albums included a monitor from the planet earth Blossom album. The fantastic reception this collection received, coupled with Betsch’s higher profile following a Lacy years, could simply lead to a little more interest for Holmes as well as the music he manufactured in the days from the John Betsch Culture.