Country Club #28: Bruce Forman's Cowbop Renews Western Swing

Bruce Forman is an outstanding bopish jazz guitarist who has recorded a number of fine CDs. He played and toured with Richie Cole during 1978-1982 and has led his own dates for Muse, Concord, and Kamei. I own a number and have enjoyed his playing.I particularly recommend Forman on the Job.

Now, he is doing something very different and very cool. He has put together a group called "Cowbop," which he describes as "cowboy jazz" and "western bebop," it's an apt name since it not only incorporates bebop elements, such as quotes from Thelonious Monk tunes and bebop phrasings, but it is a smaller group than the traditional Western Swing conglomeration, the same as the evolution from swing to bop.



Cow Bop has recorded four CDs which you can order from their website.

• Swingin' Out West (Blujazz, 2004)
•  Route 66 (Blujazz, 2008) 
•  Too Hick For The Room (B4man Music, 2011) 
•  Cowlifornia Swing (B4man Music, 2012) 

Forman's Cow Bop isn't the only notable recent effort to extend and renew Western Swing.  I'll take a look at an effort from Nashville next wee,.