Ralph Bowen

Ralph Bowen
Born	(1961-12-24) December 24, 1961 Guelph, Ontario, Canada
Genres	Jazz
Occupation(s)	Musician
Instrument(s)	Saxophone
Labels	Criss Cross, Posi-Tone
Website	www.ralphbowen.com

Ralph Bowen is a Canadian-born saxophonist, born on December 24, 1961, at Guelph, Ontario.

Bowen started piano lessons at and early age, with clarinet and saxophone lessons following soon after. By the age of thirteen, he was leading his own quartet and performing in big bands in the Toronto area. As a teenager, Bowen was awarded a grant from the Canada Council for the Arts to study music with Pat LaBarbera and Phil Nimmons at the Banff School of Fine Arts. While in Toronto, he studied with LaBarbera for a total of eight years and developed a long-time association with drummer Kieth Blackley and his father educator/drummer Jim Blackley. As well, he performed and recorded with Canadian fusion group Manteca.

In 1983 and 1984, he was awarded two more grants to pursue his musical studies in the Jazz Department at Indiana University, where his teacher was David Baker. In 1985, the same year he and Cecil Taylor were voted "Main Jazz Men of the Year" by Canada's Toronto Globe and Mail, Bowen won the audition for the Blue Note Records co-leader position of the contemporary all-star New York based jazz band known as Out of the Blue (OTB). He moved to New York, and would eventually record four albums for Blue Note. Thereafter, he recorded a series of albums for the Dutch label Criss Cross Jazz. Most recently, he has been recording for the USA-based label Posi-Tone Records.

In 1986, Bowen began to tour with internationally acclaimed jazz pianist Michel Camilo with whom he eventually recorded a number of albums and movies soundtracks. In addition, between 1986 and 1991, Bowen also completed three world tours with jazz pianist Horace Silver, and toured Europe with critically acclaimed pianist Jim Beard. He has also had long-time associations with other leaders including pianists Orrin Evans, Jim Trompeter, Renee Rosnes, and Earl MacDonald; drummer Ralph Peterson, Jr..; bassist Charles Fambrough, and composer Dr. Anthony Branker.

Discography

As leader

• Movin' On (1992) Criss Cross
• A Morning View (2001) Ratamacue
• Soul Proprietor (2002) Criss Cross
• Keep the Change (2004) Criss Cross
• Five (2008) Criss Cross
• Dedicated (2009) Posi-Tone
• Due Reverence (2010) Posi-Tone
• Power Play (2011) Posi-Tone
• Total Eclipse (2012) Posi-Tone
• Standard Deviation (2014) Posi-Tone

As co-leader

Out of the Blue

• Out of the Blue (1985) Blue Note
• Inside Track (1986) Blue Note
• Live in Mt Fuji (1986) Blue Note
• Spiral Staircase (1989) Blue Note

Other projects

• Free Trade (1994) Justin Time
• LUVPARK (2004) Imani

As sideman

With Michel Camilo

• On the Other Hand (1990) Columbia
• One More Once (1994) Columbia
• Two Much (soundtrack album from the film Two Much) (1995) Verve

With Orrin Evans

• Captain Black (1998) Criss Cross
• Old Folks Business (1999) Criss Cross
• Listen to the Band (2000) Criss Cross
• Meant to Shine (2002) Palmetto

With Earl MacDonald

• *Schroeder's Tantrum (1995) Radioland
• *"Re:Visions - works for jazz orchestra" (2010) Death Defying Records

With Horace Silver

• Rockin' with Rachmaninoff (1991)

Complete Discography

2012

• Ralph Bowen "Total Eclipse" Posi-Tone

2011

• Ralph Bowen "Power Play" Posi-tone
• Anthony Branker & Ascent "Dance Music" Origin
• Jared Gold "All Wrapped Up" Posi-Tone
• Captain Black Big Band (Self-Titled) Posi-Tone

2010'

• Ralph Bowen "Due Reverence" Posi-tone
• John Hyde "John Hyde Quartet"
• Jim Rotondi "The Move" Criss Cross
• Nino Josele "Espanola" Warner

2009

• Ralph Bowen "Dedicated" Posi-tone
• Kenny Davis Group "Kenny Davis" Daken
• Anthony Branker & Ascent "Blessings" Origin

2008

• The Brenan Brothers "The Throwdown" Death-Defying
• Jim Trompeter Quintet "Live at the Green Mill"
• Andrew/Hutchinson Trio "Music Box"
• Papo Vaquez Mighty Pirates "Marooned" Aislado
• Ralph Bowen Quintet "Five" Criss Cross

2006

• Ralph Bowen LUVPARK II Imani
• Anthony Branker & Ascent "Spirit Songs" Origin

2005

• Brian Lynch "Con Clave" Criss Cross
• Tony Deangelis "Everybody's Song"

2004

• Horace Silver "Rockin' w/Rachmoninov Bop City
• LUVPARK "Luvpark" Imani
• Ralph Bowen Quintet "Keep the Change" Criss Cross
• Sciora "Sciora"

2003

• Mark Sweetman "Remembering John Coltrane" Marcmuse

2002

• Orrin Evans "Meant to Shine" Palmetto
• Ralph Bowen "Soul Proprietor" Criss Cross

2001

• Ralph Bowen "A Morning View" Ratamacue
• Marc Sweetman "All Paths Lead to One" Marcmuse
• Bob Murphy Quartet "Free On The Inside" Roadhouse
• Craig Schoedler "By the Water" Progressive
• Vince Dimura "Imperfect Balance" Dimura

2000

• The Fins "Superstar" Fins
• Seed "Seed" Hipnotic
• Orrin Evans "Listen to the Band" Criss Cross
• Len Bryant "It's Now Midnight" Len

1999

• Ralph Peterson "Back to Stay" Sirocco
• Orrin Evans "Old Folk's Business" Criss Cross

1998

• Orrin Evans "Captain Black" Criss Cross
• Dawn Warren "Dawn" Imani
• Marc Sweetman "Inspired" Marc Muse
• K-Jazz All-Stars/Amigos "Spirit Talk" K-Jazz
• Nilda Fernandez "Innu Nikamu" EMI

1997

• George Johnson "Turquoise Ocean" A Records
• The Fins "Blues Print" Fins
• K-Jazz All-Stars "Strait Ahead" K-Jazz
• Earl McDonald "Schroeder's Tantrum" CBC

1996

• Michel Camilo "Too Much" Verve
• John Serry "Enchantress" Telarc
• Esque "Strangers No More" K-Jazz

1995

• Michel Camilo "Two Much Soundtrack" Verve
• Fortune/Vinson/Cruse "Crusin'" K-Jazz

1994

• Charles Fambrough "Keeper of the Spirit" Audioquest
• Free Trade "Free Trade" Justin Time
• Michel Camilo "One More Once" Columbia
• Vince Dimura "Black on White" Angel Tear
• Barry Sames "Awaiting the Spirit" Intrigue

1993

• Jon Herington "Complete Rhyming Dictionary"
• Pioneer Various Artists "Jazz Valentine-In the Mood" Music Masters

1992

• Ralph Bowen "Movin' On" Criss Cross
• Benny Carter "Harlem Renaissance" Music Masters

1991

• Horace Silver "Rockin' with Rachmoninov" Emerald

1990

• Michel Camilo "On the Other Hand" Columbia
• Renee Rosnes "Renee Rosnes" Blue Note
• Bobby Watson & Horizon "Post-Motown Bop" Blue Note

1989

• OTB "Spiral Staircase" Blue Note

1986

• Various Artists "Blue Note '86" Blue Note
• OTB "Live at Mt. Fuji" Blue Note
• OTB "Inside Track" Blue Note

1985

• OTB "Out of the Blue" Blue Note
• Manteca "Extra, Extra" Duke Street
• Manteca "Strength in Numbers" Ready

Recorded Original Compositions

• "Altitudes"
• "Arrows of Light"
• "Baby Girl."
• "Behind the Curtain"
• "Blues Cruz"
• "Cache-Cache"
• "Canary Drums"
• "Convergence"
• "Country Rhythm"
• "Did You Notice"
• "The Dowsing Rod"
• "Drumheller Valley"
• "Elevation"
• "E.R."
• "First Hiatus"
• "The First Stone"
• "For D.E"
• "For You"
• "Four in One, Six in the Other"
• "Free Time"
• "Gemini"
• "Gerri-Ann"
• "The Good Shepherd"
• "Gordon"
• "In My Dreams"
• "Inside Track"
• "Into the City"
• "Jessica"
• "Just Reconnoitering"
• "K.D.s Blues"
• “Keep the Change"
• "Less Is More"
• "A Little Silver in My Pocket"
• "Meltdown"
• "Midnight Snack"
• "A Morning View"
• "Mr. BeBop"
• "Mr. Scott"
• "Oh Really?"
• "On Green"
• "One for Trane"
• "Pat"
• "Phil-osophy"
• "Points Encountered"
• "Prof"
• "Qaiyam"
• "Reunited"
• "A Solar Romance"
• "Spikes"
• "Soul Proprietor"
• "This One's For Bob"
• "Thru Traffic"
• “Total Eclipse”
• "Thru Traffic"
• "Two-Line Pass"
• "Under a Cloud"
• "Walleye Jigging"

References

• Richard Skelly, Ralph Bowen, at Allmusic