Ralph Bowen plays a Contemporary model #8 and Selmer Saxophones
Saxophonist
Ralph Bowen made his mark on the New York jazz scene in the mid- 1980s
recording four records for Bluenote as co-leader of OTB-Out of the Blue.
He began touring and recording with pianists Horace Silver and Michel
Camilo.
In the 1990s, Bowen performed and recorded with Renee Rosnes, Hank Jones,
Orrin Evans, Jim Beard, Shirley Scott, Benny Carter,and Trudy Pitts.
Ralph established what has become a long-term association with bassist
Charles Fambrough, recording numerous CDs together in a variety of settings.
Free Trade, an all-Canadian co-led quintet, recorded a self-titled CD and toured Canada in 1994. The CD won the Canadian Juno award for best mainstream jazz album. In the late 1990s, Bowen joined the Ralph Peterson Jr. Fo'tet, recording the recently released CD Back to Stay, featuring Michael Brecker. Bowen’s first solo CD Movin’On, featured Jim Beard, Anthony Jackson, Jon Herington, and Ben Perowski. His latest CD, A Morning View, on the Ratamacue label, features Bill Stewart, Jim Beard, and Charles Fambrough.
Born in Canada, Ralph Bowen started piano lessons at age 5, with clarinet and saxophone lessons following soon after. When he was only 13, he was already leading his own quartet, which performed in major jazz clubs around Canada.
Ralph Bowen has always recognized the importance of jazz education, and in 1988 was awarded the Outstanding Service to Jazz Education Award by the National Association of Jazz Educators. In 1990, Bowen joined the jazz faculty at Rutgers University, where he is currently the coordinator of the jazz department, director of the Jazz Ensemble, and professor of saxophone and music theory. He continues to tour the world, performing, teaching, and giving masterclasses. He can be reached at:rbowen@rci.rutgers.edu
Recordings:
Ralph Bowen: A Morning View, (Ratamacue)
Len Bryant: It’s Now Midnight, (Len)
Ralph Peterson: Back to Stay, (Sirocco)
Orrin Evans: Old Folk’s Business, (Criss Cross)
Orrin Evans: Captain Black, (Criss Cross)
Dawn Warren: Dawn, (Imani)
Eva: Extra Vehicular Activity, (Kickin’)
Marc Sweetman: Inspired, (Marc Muse
K-Jazz All-Stars: Amigos, (K-Jazz)
Nilda Fernandez: Nilda Fernandez, (EMI)
The Fins: Blues Print, (Fins)
K-Jazz All-Stars: Strait Ahead, (K-Jazz)
With Benny Carter - Harlem Renaissance (Music Masters)
With Horace Silver - Rockin' with Rachmaninov (Emerald)
With
OTB -
-- Spiral Staircase (Bluenote)
-- Live at Mt. Fuji (Bluenote)
-- Inside Track (Bluenote)
-- Out of the Blue (Bluenote)
With
Free Trade - Free Trade (Justin Time)
{Juno Award, 1994}
With Michel Camilo
-- One More Once (Columbia)
-- On the Other Hand (Columbia)
With the Jazz All-Stars -Jazz All-Stars (K-Jazz)
With
the Jazz All-Stars -Strait-A-Head (K-Jazz)
(Ralph Bowen blows "Meltdown" in 7/4!)
untitled (Island)
-- Movin' On (Criss Cross Jazz)
With Earl McDonald - Shroeder's Tantrum (CBC)
With John Serry - untitled (Telarc)
With Faith Pillow - untitled (BMG)
With Dennis Fortune - Crusin' (Island)
With Charles Fambrough - Keeper of the Spirit (Audio Quest)
With Vince Dimura - Black on White (Angel Tear)
With Jon Herrington - The Complete Rhyming Dictionary (Pioneer Jazz)
With Rene Rosnes - Rene Rosnes (Blue Note)
With
Manteca -
-- Extra, Extra (Duke Street)
-- Strength in Numbers (Ready Records)