Jazz Articles about Ralph Bowen

Ralph Bowen: Power Play

by Dan Bilawsky
February 7, 2011

Saxophonist Ralph Bowen has always been an original, despite being tagged as one of the neo-traditionalist young lions of the '80s. A quarter century has gone by since Bowen came to semi-prominence as a member of Out Of The Blue, yet this mega-talent still manages to fly just under the radar, despite impressive dates like this one. Power Play is a sharp departure from Bowen's previous Posi-Tone albums, which were built on an all-star guitar-bass-drums rhythm section, ...

Ralph Bowen: Due Reverence

by John Patten
May 14, 2010

Saxophonist Ralph Bowen's Due Reverence is a too-short set of tributes to horn players who've made an impression on Bowen. The five tunes were written in the styles of players Ted Dunbar, Bob Mintzer, James Scott, Phil Nimmons and Robert Dick.Bowen gets backing from a strong quartet--Sean Jones on trumpet, Adam Rogers on guitar, John Patitucci on bass and Antonio Sanchez on drums. The combination of competently-crafted tunes from Bowen (director of jazz ensembles at Rutgers), played by ...

Ralph Bowen: Due Reverence

by Woodrow Wilkins
March 27, 2010

"Less Is More" is not just the first song on tenor saxophonist Ralph Bowen's Due Reverence. It's also a subtle hint about the music.Bowen studied at Rutgers University under Dr. James Scott and Robert Dick, to whom two of the songs are dedicated. He also studied at Indiana University and in addition to teaching, has performed at numerous venues with a wide array of artists, including Charles Fambrough, Lou Rawls, Antonio Hart, Freddie Hubbard and Michael Brecker. Due ...

Ralph Bowen: Due Reverence

by Raul d'Gama Rose
March 18, 2010

Due Reverence is a gem of an album from beginning to end. All five compositions by its protagonist, tenor saxophonist Ralph Bowen, deserve high praise for outstanding invention and impeccable execution. These are erudite compositions, delving not just into musical characters, but more than anything else, empathizing with them, emoting with them by taking turns on a trapeze of highs and lows with swooping changes in tone and manner. And best of all there is incredible rhythmic invention in each ...

Ralph Bowen: Due Reverence

by Mark F. Turner
February 27, 2010

Thanks to an American Idol culture and any number of other circumstances, the jazz universe is filled with extremely bright, if lesser known stars, who are just as talented as their more noted constellations. Such is the case with saxophonist Ralph Bowen, a truly bad-ass player who has appeared on over 60 recordings as a sideman and leader. Due Reverence, his second release on Posi-Tone, is prime example of his continued voice as a musician and leader. ...

Ralph Bowen: Dedicated

by Woodrow Wilkins
September 5, 2009

Many new releases seem to follow one stringent formula or another--whether to deliver cookie-cutter music to the masses, in hopes of getting noticed by commercial radio, or to adopt a certain trend, be it the traditional piano-led trio or covering standards. With that in mind, it's rarely, if ever, a bad thing when an artist or group just plays. That's the approached used by saxophonist Ralph Bowen for Dedicated. Bowen was co-leader of the sextet, OTB--Out of ...

Ralph Bowen: Dedicated

by Glenn Astarita
July 16, 2009

Back in the 1980s, tenor saxophonist Ralph Bowen was a member of a young and thoroughly hip progressive jazz ensemble known as OTB--Out Of The Blue. Since then, he's been an in-demand session artist. With Dedicated, he garners superb support from a top-flight ensemble, but it's Bowen's dynamic presence and big sound that fully reveal his colossal talents.

Bowen packs a mighty wallop, steeped within his full-bodied tone and muscular phraseology, all spiced with lyrically resplendent theme-building persuasions. ...