Charles "Bobo" Shaw
b. 15 September 1947, Pope, Mississippi, USA. Shaw studied with a string of drummers and also learned bass and trombone with Frank Mokuss. He played drums in R&B bands, backing soul saxophonist Oliver Sain, singers Ike And Tina Turner and bluesman Albert King. He moved to St. Louis, Missouri, and was a founder of BAG (Black Artists Group). There he met and played with altoist Oliver Lake as well as playing in the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. In the early '70s he moved with other BAG members to Europe, where he played with Anthony Braxton, Steve Lacy, Frank Wright and Alan Silva. He calls his bands the Human Arts Ensemble or (more recently) the Red, Black & Green Solidarity Unit. In 1972 the Human Arts Ensemble made its debut recording with WHISPER OF DHARMA, followed a year later by UNDER THE SUN, which featured Lake and Lester Bowie as guest artists. In 1974 Shaw moved to New York, and in the next few years recorded with Frank Lowe ( FRESH, THE FLAM), Bowie ( FAST LAST, ROPE-A-DOPE) and Lake ( HEAVY SPIRITS). In 1977 he recorded a duo album with Bowie ( BUGLE BOY BOP), although this was not released until 1983. He also teamed up with Bowie's trombonist brother, Joseph Bowie, in a new line-up of the Human Arts Ensemble and in the next two years released P'NK J'ZZ; TRIO PERFORMANCES VOL 1, which featured guitarist James Emery (from String Trio Of New York); VOL 2, which featured Luther Thomas on alto and John Lindberg (also from STONY) on bass; and JUNK TRAP, which combined all five players. Shaw also played on two Human Arts Ensemble dates led by Thomas ( FUNKY DONKEY VOL 1, POEM OF GRATITUDE) and as a member of the St Louis Creative Ensemble, which played Europe in 1979 and recorded I CAN'T FIGURE OUT. Since this burst of activity little has been heard from him, apart from appearances with Marion Brown and Bowie's punk-funk group Defunkt.