Joseph Bowie (born October 17, 1953) is an American jazz trombonist and vocalist. The brother of trumpeter

Lester Bowie Lester Bowie (October 11, 1941 – November 8, 1999) was an American jazz trumpet player and composer. He was a member of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians and co-founded the Art Ensemble of Chicago. Biography Born in ...

, Joseph is known for leading the jazz-punk group

Defunkt Defunkt is an American musical group founded by the trombonist and singer Joseph Bowie in 1978 in New York City. Their music touches on elements of punk rock, funk, and jazz. Career Joseph Bowie is the brother of big band musician Byron Bo ...

and for membership in the

Ethnic Heritage Ensemble Ethnic Heritage Ensemble is an American jazz ensemble founded in 1973 by percussionist Kahil El'Zabar. Its members have included Kalaparusha Maurice McIntyre, Joseph Bowie, Ernest Dawkins, Light Henry Huff, Edward Wilkerson, Hanah Jon Taylor, an ...

Career

Bowie was greatly influenced by his older brothers, saxophonist Byron Bowie and trumpeter Lester Bowie. His first international tour was with

Oliver Lake Oliver Lake (born September 14, 1942) is an American jazz saxophonist, flutist, composer, poet, and visual artist. He is known mainly for alto saxophone, but he also performs on soprano and flute. During the 1960s, Lake worked with the Black Art ...

of the

Black Artists Group The Black Artists Group (BAG) was a multidisciplinary arts collective that existed in St. Louis, Missouri, from 1968 to 1972. BAG is known for the convergence of free jazz and experimental theater. Members Members included saxophonists Julius ...

in 1971. During this time in Paris, he worked with

Alan Silva Alan Silva (born Alan Lee da Silva; January 22, 1939 in Bermuda) is an United States of America, American free jazz double bassist and Keyboard instrument, keyboard player. Biography Silva was born a British subject to an Azores, Azorean/Portug ...

, Frank Wright, and

Bobby Few Bobby Few (October 21, 1935 – January 6, 2021) was an American jazz pianist and vocalist. Early life Few was born in Cleveland, Ohio, and grew up in the Fairfax neighborhood of the city's East Side. Upon his mother's encouragement, he stud ...

. He also worked with

Dr. John Malcolm John Rebennack Jr. (November 20, 1941 – June 6, 2019), better known by his stage name Dr. John, was an American singer and songwriter. His music encompassed New Orleans blues, jazz, funk, and R&B. Active as a session musician from ...

Montreaux Montreux (, , ; frp, Montrolx) is a Swiss municipality and town on the shoreline of Lake Geneva at the foot of the Alps. It belongs to the district of Riviera-Pays-d'Enhaut in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland, and has a population of approximat ...

in 1973. He moved to New York City, and with the help of Off Broadway Theater impresario

Ellen Stewart Ellen Stewart (November 7, 1919 – January 13, 2011) was an American theatre director and producer and the founder of La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club. During the 1950s she worked as a fashion designer for Saks Fifth Avenue, Bergdorf Goodm ...

he established La Mama children's theater. He performed with

Cecil Taylor Cecil Percival Taylor (March 25, 1929April 5, 2018) was an American pianist and poet. Taylor was classically trained and was one of the pioneers of free jazz. His music is characterized by an energetic, physical approach, resulting in complex ...

, Human Arts Ensemble,

Nona Hendryx Nona Bernis Hendryx (born October 9, 1944) is an American vocalist, record producer, songwriter, musician, and author. Hendryx is known for her work as a solo artist as well as for being one-third of the trio Labelle, who had a hit with "Lady ...

, Leroy Jenkins,

Vernon Reid Vernon Alphonsus Reid (born 22 August 1958) is an English-born American guitarist and songwriter. Reid is the founder and primary songwriter of the rock band Living Colour, Reid was named No. 66 on ''Rolling Stone'' magazine's 2003 list of the ...

Stanley Cowell Stanley Cowell (May 5, 1941 – December 17, 2020) was an American jazz pianist and co-founder of the Strata-East Records label. Early life Cowell was born in Toledo, Ohio. He began playing the piano around the age of four, and became interest ...

, Sam Rivers, Philippe Gaillot,

Dominique Gaumont Dominique Gaumont (8 January 1953 – 10 November 1983) was a French jazz guitarist who played alongside notable musicians such as Miles Davis, the Art Ensemble of Chicago, and Michel Portal. Biography Dominique Gaumont was born on 8 January 1 ...

and

Ornette Coleman Randolph Denard Ornette Coleman (March 9, 1930 – June 11, 2015) was an American jazz saxophonist, violinist, trumpeter, and composer known as a principal founder of the free jazz genre, a term derived from his 1960 album '' Free Jazz: A Colle ...

. In 1976 he moved to Chicago, where he led bands for

Tyrone Davis Tyrone Davis (born Tyrone D. Fettson or Tyrone D. Branch, October 3, 1937 – February 9, 2005) was an American blues and soul singer with a long list of hit records over more than 20 years. Davis had three number 1 hits on the '' Billboard'' ...

and other R&B artists. Returning to New York City in 1978 he began singing with punk and funk musician

James Chance James Chance, also known as James White (born James Siegfried, April 20, 1953), is an American saxophonist, keyboard player, and singer. A key figure in no wave, Chance has been playing a combination of improvisational jazz-like music and pun ...

and the Contortions. Defunkt was born during that time. During the next 25 years, Defunkt recorded 15 albums. Bowie has collaborated with Jean-Paul Bourelly and

Jamaaladeen Tacuma Jamaaladeen Tacuma (born Rudy McDaniel; June 11, 1956) is an American free jazz bassist born in Hempstead, New York. He was a bandleader on the Gramavision label and worked with Ornette Coleman during the 1970s and 1980s, mostly in Coleman's P ...

. He has performed "big band funk" arrangements with Ed Partyka at Music School Lucerne, Barbary Coast Ensemble at Dartmouth College, JazzArt Orchestra, and the HR Frankfurt Radio Big Band. The first Defunkt Big Band debuted in 1999 in New York City at the Texaco Jazz Festival sponsored by the

Knitting Factory The Knitting Factory is a nightclub in New York City that features eclectic music and entertainment. After opening in 1987, various other locations were opened in the United States. The Knitting Factory gave its audience poetry readings, perform ...

. In 2003, he moved to the Netherlands where he met

Hans Dulfer Hans Dulfer (born 28 May 1940) is a Dutch jazz musician who plays tenor saxophone. Life and music Hans Dulfer was born on 28 May 1940 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. He began at age 17 and has been referred to as "Big boy" because of his album of ...

and was introduced to the Dutch music scene. He has performed performs with Hans and Candy Dulfer and also performs as guest with the Saskia Laroo Band, Naked Ears, Monsieur Dubois, Emergency Room, Funkateer, Seven Eleven, and Almost Three. In 2014 he produced ''Sax Pistols Allergy for the U.S'' (ZIP Records) with lyricist Hilarius Hofstede and musicians Yuri Honing, Luc Houtcamp, Chazzy Green, Bart Wirtz, Koen Schouten, James White and Defunkt rhythm section of Kim Clarke, Tobias Ralph, and Rocco Zifarelli. In 2009 he created Defunkt Mastervolt with Paris-based musicians Linley Marthe, Rocco Zifarelli, Emma Lamadji, Michael Lecoq, and Jon Grandcamp. The album ''Defunkt Mastervolt'' was released in 2015 on ZIP Records. Robin van Erven Dorens directed the documentary ''In Groove We Trust'' about Bowie's life.

Discography

Joseph Bowie Defunkt Cowbell Unterfahrt 2012-02-21-001

As leader

* ''Heroes'' ( DIW, 1990)

As sideman

With

* 1974 '' Fast Last!'' * 1999 ''American Gumbo'' With

* 1981 ''Live in New York'' * 2000 ''White Cannibal'' * 2003 ''Irresistible Impulse'' With

* 1980 ''Defunkt'' * 1982 ''Thermonuclear Sweat'' * 1988 ''In America'' * 1992 ''Crisis'' * 1994 ''Cum Funky'' * 1994 ''Live & Reunified'' * 1994 ''Live at the Knitting Factory NYC'' * 1995 ''A Blues Tribute: Jimi Hendrix & Muddy Waters'' * 2016 ''Live at Channel Zero'' With

* '' Ancestral Song'' ( Silkheart, 1988) * ''

Hang Tuff ''Hang Tuff'' is an album by Ethnic Heritage Ensemble, a jazz band formed by percussionist Kahil El'Zabar, who is joined by saxophonist Edward Wilkerson and trombonist Joseph Bowie. It was recorded in 1990 and released on the German Open Minds la ...

'' (Open Minds, 1991) * ''

Dance with the Ancestors ''Dance with the Ancestors'' is an album by Ethnic Heritage Ensemble, a jazz band formed by percussionist Kahil El'Zabar, who is joined by saxophonist Edward Wilkerson and trombonist Joseph Bowie. It was released in 1993 on the Chameleon label an ...

'' (Chameleon, 1993) * '' 21st Century Union March'' (Silkheart, 1997) * '' The Continuum'' ( Delmark, 1997) * ''

Papa's Bounce ''Papa's Bounce'' is an album by Ethnic Heritage Ensemble, a jazz band formed by percussionist Kahil El'Zabar, who is joined by trombonist Joseph Bowie, saxophonist Ernest Dawkins and percussionist 'Atu' Harold Murray. It was recorded in 1998 a ...

'' (

CIMP Creative Improvised Music Projects, usually abbreviated CIMP or C.I.M.P., is an American jazz record company and label. It is associated with ''Cadence Magazine'' and Cadence Jazz Records. The label is noted for its minimal use of electronic proc ...

, 1998) * ''

Freedom Jazz Dance ''Freedom Jazz Dance'' is an album by Ethnic Heritage Ensemble, a jazz band formed by percussionist Kahil El'Zabar, who is joined by trombonist Joseph Bowie, saxophonist Ernest Dawkins and special guest guitarist Fareed Haque. It was recorded ...

'' (Delmark, 1999) With

* 1975 ''

Heavy Spirits ''Heavy Spirits'' is an album by American jazz saxophonist Oliver Lake, which was recorded in 1975 and released on the Arista Freedom label. The album features Lake playing in different settings: three quintet tracks with Olu Dara on trumpet, Don ...

'' * 2003 ''Cloth'' * 2017 ''Live at A-Space 1976'' With others * 1973 '' In Paris, Aries 1973'',

* 1975 ''

For Players Only ''For Players Only'' is a live album by violinist and composer Leroy Jenkins, his first as a leader. It was recorded in January 1975 at Wollman Auditorium, Columbia University in New York City, and was released by JCOA Records later that year. On ...

'', Leroy Jenkins * 1975 ''Fresh'',

Frank Lowe Frank Lowe (June 24, 1943 – September 19, 2003) was an American avant-garde jazz saxophonist and composer. Biography Born and brought up in Memphis, Tennessee, Lowe took up the tenor saxophone at the age of 12. As an adult he moved to San Fra ...

* 1975 ''

The Flam ''The Flam'' is an album by American jazz saxophonist Frank Lowe recorded in 1975 for the Italian Black Saint label.

'', Frank Lowe * 1977 ''Streets of St. Louis'', Charles Bobo Shaw * 1992 ''Under the Wire'', Michael Marcus * 1993 ''Highlights: Live in Vienna'',

Vienna Art Orchestra The Vienna Art Orchestra was a European jazz group based in Vienna, Austria. Organized at different times as either a big band or as a smaller combo, it was regarded as one of the leading European jazz ensembles and was an official cultural ambas ...

* 1994 ''Sacred Common Ground'',

Don Pullen Don Gabriel Pullen (December 25, 1941 – April 22, 1995) was an American jazz pianist and organist. Pullen developed a strikingly individual style throughout his career. He composed pieces ranging from blues to bebop and modern jazz. The great ...

* 1997 ''Junk Trap'', Charles Bobo Shaw * 1999 ''Inspiration'', Sam Rivers * 1999 ''

Culmination In observational astronomy, culmination is the passage of a celestial object (such as the Sun, the Moon, a planet, a star, constellation or a deep-sky object) across the observer's local meridian. These events were also known as meridian transits ...

'', Sam Rivers * 2000 ''Beyond the Sky'',

Yusef Lateef Yusef Abdul Lateef (born William Emanuel Huddleston; October 9, 1920 – December 23, 2013) was an American jazz multi-instrumentalist, composer, and prominent figure among the Ahmadiyya Community in America. Although Lateef's main instruments ...

* 2001 ''Funky Donkey, Vols. 1 & 2'', Luther Thomas * 2002 ''Just Add Water'',

Bobby Previte Bobby Previte (born July 16, 1951 in Niagara Falls, New York) is a drummer, composer, and bandleader. He earned a degree in economics from the University at Buffalo, where he also studied percussion. He moved to New York City in 1979 and began ...

* 2002 ''Trance Atlantic (Boom Bop II)'', Jean-Paul Bourelly * 2003 '' H.Con.Res.57/Treasure Box'',

* 2007 ''Transmigration'', Kahil El'Zabar * 2009 ''Funked Up!'', Candy Dulfer

References

External links

Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bowie, Joseph Musicians from St. Louis American jazz trombonists Male trombonists 1953 births Living people DIW Records artists American Buddhists Nichiren Buddhists Jazz musicians from Missouri 21st-century trombonists 21st-century American male musicians American male jazz musicians Ethnic Heritage Ensemble members Human Arts Ensemble members Sackville Records artists