Jean Robert: The start of his musical career

Jean Robert: The start of his musical career. (English) Jean Robert: De start van zijn muzikale carriere (Nederlands) Jean Robert: The European Hawkins ( English) Jean Robert: De Europese Hawkins ( Nederlands) – Jean Robert: The Belgian Le Boeuf Sur Le Toit (English) – Jean Robert – De Belgische Boeuf Sur Le Toit (Nederlands)

The Jean Robert Archive.
JEAN ROBERT: THE START OF HIS MUSICAL CAREER
Hans Koert

One of the most important saxophone players of Belgium must have been Jean Robert. Although he played in numerous bands and recording sessions and with a more then 40 years career in music, he seems now complete forgotten by the younger generation. What a shame! You won’t find his name listed in great handbooks like The World of Swing by Stanley Dance, The Big Bands by George T. Simon or The Swing Era written by Gunther Schuller. The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz is an exception, as it has a small entry written by Robert Pernet, the Belgian Jazz historian and discographer pre-eminently. Well, prejudiced or not, fact is that Coleman Hawkins in person, labelled Jean Robert as one of the best tenor saxophone improvisators in Europe, so ……….
Thanks to his grandchildren Michelle and Bas I can share with you some photos from Jean Robert’s own personal scrap books in some contributions to follow. Some people on the photo’s were easily to identify; others not – that’s why we ask for your help identifying the musicians on the pictures. Today the first contribution about Jean Robert titled: Jean Robert: The start of his musical career. More contributions later. Jean Robert on a Jazz Wereld drawing ( photo courtesy Jean Robert archive)

He was born in Brussels (Belgium) June 1908 and became a professional musician in 1927 in the orchestra of Pierre Pacquet, better known as Peter Packay. He started to play the piano, his main instrument in those days, but changed to the tenor saxophone soon. His first recordings were in London for Edison Bell Winners with the Red Robins, a band directed by Peter Packay. Listen to a tune, titled Desperado Shuffle, which he recorded June-July 1928 as a member of the The Red Robins. The personel of this band is: Peter Packay trumpet and director, Paul D’Hondt trumpet, Almeida De Pereira trombone, Philippe Maniet alto saxophone and clarinet, Richard Dutoin alto, bass saxophone and clarinet, Jean Robert tenor saxophone and hawaiian-guitar (sorry, not on this tune), Armand Courtois piano, Van Est, sousaphone and Louis Gourmet drums.

His first recordings in Belgium were with the Chas. Remue Big Band (September 1929), in which he played, except the tenor saxophone, also the bass saxophone and clarinet.

Gus Deloof ( photo courtesy Jean Robert archive)

During the 1930s he developed into a sought after musician and he played in the great Belgium swing bands, like the band of Gus Deloof, a Belgian musician, who started in the band of the German bandleader Bernard Ette. In 1931 Jean is to be found on two Pathé-recordings with this band of Gus Deloof and he is asked to become a member of the Albert Sykes Orchestra, that has a gig during the summer months in some Belgian clubs along the North Sea coast. In 1932 he had his own orchestra, The Atlanta Band, with Jean Omer, Pierre Parent, Jean Damm, John Ouwerx, Chas. Dolne, Pol Serluppens and Gustave Douffet. It is remarkable to learn, that he was only present on a few recording sessions and his saxophone playing is only to be heard on a few records of this period. He often played in The Netherlands too, like in the orchestra of Henk Bruyns, the former trumpet player in Melle Weersma’s band and in the Freddie Bierman Cracker Jacks. Robert De Kers ( photo courtesy Jean Robert archive)

Jean Robert was a regular member of the Robert De Kers Orchestra , early 1930s. Robert De Kers played with Oscar Alemán in the Harry Fleming band and when that band broke, he introduced Oscar Alemán to Josephine Baker, who needed a guitar player. Oscar Alemán should develop into a legendary guitar player and leader of The Baker Boys.

The Robert De Kers Orchestra. Sitting in front: Robert De Kers and Jean Robert is third from the right. Who are the other members? (Photo courtesy: Jean Robert archive)

The band of Robert De Kers belonged to the best bands of that period. In 1937 the band played at a gig in the Rotterdam Pschorr Jazz club – it is possible that Jean Robert was one of the members of the band. In 1938 Jean Robert founded his own band at toured to Switzerland and performed at the Cotton Club in Brussels, the fore runner of Le Boeuf Sur Le Toit, a cabaret, founded by Jean Omer for which its Parisian namesake served as an example. Robert De Kers Orchestra. Robert is behind the keys and Jean Robert is the 4th one standing behind the grand piano. Who's that lady in the middle? ( Photo courstesy Jean Robert archive)

One of the guests to play in the Cotton Club was piano player Freddy Johnson, who brought in his trio. Freddy Johnson had entered The Netherlands in 1934 with his Harmelites and he had hanged around in Holland, playing with bands like Harry Pohl’s, The Ramblers Dance Orchestra, Benny Carter and Coleman Hawkins. In the next contribution: Jean Robert: The European Hawkins, I hope to tell you more about that.

Hans Koert

keepswinging@live.nl

Love to thank Michelle and Bas for sharing photo's from their grandfather's archive - photo's which need some identification. Please contact us if you can identify musicians and bands.

Charles Boogaert ( photo courtesy Jean Robert archive)

Who was this Charles Boogaert? Is this, maybe, Gaston Bogaert, the drummer, Jean Roberts played with in the Jean Omer bands? More info requested.

One of the best record releases that contains a survey of Belgian jazz is the 2CD Jazz in little Belgium ( The collection Robert Pernet). It contains almost 50 tracks with the complete Belgian jazz history and an extensive illustrated and informative booklet. ( No English, sorry – only a French and a Flemish version exists). A must-have !!

According this contribution, the album contains:

GUS DELOOF and his RACKETEERS
March Of The Hoodlums - 42173
Recorded in Brussels (Belgium) on the 24th of March 1931
Gus Deloof director and cornet player - Lucien Devroye trumpet - Jos Breyre trombone - Jean Omer clarinet and alto sax - Arthur Saguet tenor sax and clarinet - Jean Robert bass sax and tenor sax - John Ouwerx piano - Reggie Denys guitar - Arthur Peeters bass and Jos Aerts drums


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Robert Pernet - De Muzikant

( Naar de Nederlandse vertaling.)
Every serious record collector knows who Robert Pernet (1940-2001) was, but I never realized that he also played jazz music as an active musician.

On the 15th of March 1968, now 40 years ago, a special EP (Extended Play) recording was made in Brussels, Belgium by Le Service de la Jeunesse de la Province de Brabant ... ( = Office for the youth of the Brabant region) featuring Les Dixieland Gamblers, probably directed by Pol Closset, whose band played two tunes: Doctor Jazz and I'm Coming Virginia. I don't know the exact recording date for these. On the reverse P. Catherine and R. Pernet play the tunes Slop and Grelots. The record was made by NMC Records Pour et Par Les Jeunes (= For and by the youth). Philip Catherine (guitar) and Robert Pernet (drums) were accompanied by Adriano Pateri on piano and Freddy Deronde on bass.
Philip Catherine and Robert Pernet.

As I make this blog, Philip Catherine, now almost 66 years old, is scedulded for a concert in the Porgy en Bess Jazz Club in Terneuzen with is Acoustic Trio in a concerrt in April of this year and last year he was one of the guests at the Jazzfestival Middelburg, both venues in the south western part of The Netherlands. Robert Pernet was known as a great discographer who had an extensive collection of records and became the author of the Belgian Jazz Discography. When he passed away in 2001 his collection was bought by the Koning Boudewijnstichting who released a great 2CD with records from the Belgian Jazz heritage. The 2CD was the subject of a previous contribution Jazz In Little Belgium. The Charles Mingus tune Slop is to be found on CD2 track 23.

Although Robert Pernet was known for his discographical research on Belgian jazz, he was also a passioned jazz musician. At a meeting with collector friends in De Panne in the far south western part of Belgium, near the French border, Robert and his friends decided to found a band and Robert became the drummerman. As a teenager he had bought his first secondhand drumset. After they had decided to start a band, Robert took some lessons and thanks to Marcel De Schuyttenneer, one of the band members, he came into contact with .... Philip Catherine. In 1958 Philip Catherine and Robert Pernet performed twice at the Rose Noire in Brussels. In that club he also performed with Jacques Pelzer, Benoit Quersin , the Swedish baritone sax player Lennart Johnsson and even our (!) Rita Reys and Pim Jacobs. He was invited to play on the last day of 1959 at the Rose Noir, but got also an invitation from Toots Thielemans to play at the Blue Note on the same evening. It was sheer luck that both clubs were close together, so he could run back and forth. In 1960 he became a member of the Marcel Babs Robert Quartet which played modern avant garde jazz, but no free jazz. In 1969 he played with this quartet at the Montreux festival where he was honored as the best drummer of the festival. During his career he played with musicians like Stephane Grappelli, René Thomas, Jack Sels, Tubby Hayes, Nathan Davis, Attila Zoller, Tete Montoliu and the Lecuano Cuban Boys. Robert Pernet, although a dedicated record collector himself, didn't make much recordings and the one that was made 40 years ago, was one of his first. Both Philip as Robert had won ex aequo the prize for the best soloist, which was a recording session. Robert Pernet played early 1980s for some years with Charles Loos and Jean-Louis Rassinfosse, the great sympatic bass player, but the last twenty years of his life he didn't play in public often - he was too busy with his discography.
As I wrote before, you can listen to Slop on the great 2CD Jazz in Little Belgium.
A RANDOM:

AFTERNOON IN PARIS - SONNY ROLLINS & CO.: Sonny Rollins tenor saxophone, Herbie Hancock piano, Ron Carter bass, Roy McCurdy drums. Recorded in New York City 24th of January 1964

Keep swinging

Hans Koert

keepswinging@live.nl

Nederlands ( To the English translation )

Iedere serieuze platenverzamelaar kent Robert Pernet (1940-2001), de samensteller van de lijvige Belgian Jazz Discography, de beschrijving van alle Belgische Jazzplaten, maar ik realiseerde me niet, dat hij ook een cariere als actief muzikant gemaakt heeft.

Op 15 maart 1968, veertig jaar geleden dus, werden opnamen gemaakt voor een bijzonder plaatje, een zgn. EP-tje (Extended Play), een singeltje met vier nummers, in Brussel in opdracht van Le Service de la Jeunesse de la Province de Brabant ...( = Dienst voor de Jeugd van de provincie Brabant) met daarop Les Dixieland Gamblers, waarschijnlijk onderleiding van Pol Closset, wiens band twee nummers mocht spelen: Doctor Jazz en I'm Coming Virginia. De precieze opnamedatum van deze twee nummers ken ik niet. Op de achterkant P. Catherine en R. Pernet, die de nummers Slop en Grelots aan de groeven toevertrouwden. De plaat werd uitgebracht door NMC Records Pour et Par Les Jeunes ( = door en voor de jeugd). Philip Catherine (guitar) en Robert Pernet (slagwerk) werden begeleid door Adriano Pateri op piano en Freddy Deronde op bas.
Philip Catherine en Robert Pernet.

Op het moment dat ik deze bijdrage maak, staat Philip Catherine, nu 66 jaar oud, weer klaar om in april op te treden in de Porgy en Bess Jazz Club in Terneuzen met zijn Acoustic Trio en vorig jaar was hij één van de muzikanten die optrad op het Abdijplein in Middelburg tijdens het Jazzfestival Middelburg. Robert Pernet werd voornamelijk bekend als discograaf, die een uitgebreide verzameling platen had en uiteindelijk de uitgebreide Belgian Jazz Discography publiceerde. Toen hij in 2001 overleed kon de Koning Boudewijnstichting zijn verzameling behouden en werd o.a. een schitterende 2CD uitgebracht met platen uit zijn verzameling die een mooi overzicht geven van de geschiedenis van de Jazz in Belgie: Jazz in Little Belgium. Het nummer Slop, geschreven door Charles Mingus, is te vinden op de tweede CD als nummer 23. Hoewel Robert Pernet vooral bekend geworden is als verzamelaar en discograaf van het Belgische jazz-erfgoed, was hij ook een bevlogen jazzmuzikant. Tijdens een bijeenkomst van platenverzamelaars in De Panne, in het uiterste zuidwesten van België, tegen de Franse grens aan, besloten ze om een band op te richten; Robert Pernet koos voor slagwerk, omdat hij dat als kind ook gespeeld had. Als tiener had hij een tweedehands drumstel gekocht en wat lessen genomen. Dankzij Marcel De Schuyttenneer, die in hun groepje zat, kwam hij in contact met Philip Catherine. In 1958 traden Philip Catherine en Robert Pernet tweemaal op in de Rose Noire in Brussel. In die club trad hij ook op met musici als Jacques Pelzer, Benoit Quersin, de Zweedse baritonesaxspeler Lennart Johnsson en zelfs onze (!) Rita Reys en Pim Jacobs. Hij werd uitgenodigd te spelen op een eindejaarsfeest in 1959 in de Rose Noir, maar kreeg tewgelijkertijd ook een uitnodiging van Toots Thielemans om te spelen in de Blue Note, ook in Brussel. Dat werd een avond lang heen en weer vliegen; gelukkig lagen beide etablisementen dicht bij elkaar.
In 1960 werd hij lid van het Marcel Babs Robert Quartet dat moderne jazz - avant garde muziek speelde, maar geen free jazz. In 1969 speelde hij op het Montreux festival, waar hij uitgeroepen werd als beste drummer. Tijdens zijn carriere als drummer speelde hij met grote namen als Stephanne Grappelli, René Thomas, Jack Sels, Tubby Hayes, Nathan Davis, Attila Zoller, Tete Montoliu en de Lecuano Cuban Boys. Robert Pernet, hoewel zelf een verwoed platenverzamelaar, maakte zelf niet veel platen. Het plaatje, dat vandaag zijn veertigjarig jubileum viert, was één van zijn eerste. Omdat hij, ex aequo met Philip Catherine, als beste solist in de moderne jazz stijl was gekozen, mocht hij, met Philip, het plaatje maken. Robert Pernet speelde begin jaren tachtig nog korte tijd met Charles Loos en Jean-Louis Rassinfosse, de sympathieke innemende bassist, maar hield het daarna voor gezien en speelde niet vaak meer in het openbaar - hij had het overigiens te druk met zijn discografie.

De dubbel-CD Jazz in Little Belgium is een waardevol bezit voor elke verzamelaar van Europese jazz.


15 maart / March 15th:
1928:

• lovable = paul whiteman o

1938:

• george van eps musicale: squattin' at the grotto = bill harty presents

1968:

• slop = philip catherine-robert pernet

Keep swinging

Hans Koert

keepswinging@live.nl


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