Harlem River Drive - 1971 - Harlem River Drive

Harlem River Drive

1971

Harlem River Drive

01. Harlem River Drive (Theme) 4:05

02. If (We Had Peace Today) 2:56

03. Idle Hands 8:27

04. Broken Home 10:35

05. Seeds Of Life 5:07

Allan Taylor: Choir/Chorus

Andy González: Bass (Electric)

Barry Rogers: Trombone

Bernard "Pretty" Purdie: Drums

Bob Mann: Guitar

Bruce Fowler: Trombone

Burt Collins: Trumpet

Charlie Pamieri: Organ

Cornell Dupree: Guitar

Dean Robert Pratt: Drums

Dick Meza: Sax (Tenor)

Eddie Pamieri: Piano

Eladio Perez: Congas

Gerald Jemmott: Bass

Jimmy Norman: Vocals

Manny Oquendo: Congas, Cowbell, Timbales

Marilyn Hirscher: Chorus

Nicky Marrero: Drums, Timbales

Randy Brecker: Trumpet

Reggie Ferguson: Drums

Ronnie Cuber: Sax

Victor Venegas: Bass

The reason this record is "legendary" is because it marks the first recorded performances, in 1970, of Eddie and Charlie Palmieri as bandleaders. The reason it should be a near mythical recording (it has never been available in the U.S. on CD, and was long out of print on LP before CDs made the scene), is for its musical quality and innovation. The Palmieris formed a band of themselves, a couple of Latinos that included Andy Gonzales, jazz-funk great -- even then -- Bernard "Pretty" Purdie, and some white guys and taught them how to play a music that was equal parts Cuban mambo, American soul via Stax/Volt, blues, Funkadelic-style rock, pop-jazz, and harmonic and instrumental arrangements every bit as sophisticated as Burt Bacharach's or Henry Mancini's or even Stan Kenton's. One can hear in "Harlem River Drive (Theme)" and "Idle Hands" a sound akin to War's on World Is a Ghetto. Guess where War got it? "If (We Had Peace)" was even a model for Lee Oskar's "City, Country, City." And as much as War modeled their later sound on this one record, as great as they were, they never reached this peak artistically. But there's so much here: the amazing vocals (Jimmy Noonan was in this band), the multi-dimensional percussion section, the tight, brass-heavy horn section, and the spaced-out guitar and keyboard work (give a listen to "Broken Home") where vocal lines trade with a soprano saxophone and a guitar as snaky keyboards create their own mystical effect. One can bet that Chick Corea heard in Eddie's piano playing a stylistic possibility for Return to Forever's Light As a Feather and Romantic Warrior albums. The band seems endless, as if there are dozens of musicians playing seamlessly together live -- dig the percussion styling of Manny Oquendo on the cowbell and conga and the choral work of Marilyn Hirscher and Allan Taylor behind Noonan. Harlem River Drive is a classic because after 30-plus years, it still sounds as if listeners are the ones catching up to it. It's worth every dime you pay for it, so special order it today.

This is the only album by what may be called a musical project rather than a band by the name of Harlem River Drive. Those who find out that Eddie Palmieri and his brother Charlie were part of this project may be erroneously led to think that they are going to buy a Salsa record. Far from it! Though Latin influences are strong (particularly from the Timbales), the basic style is Funk, with a good dose of Jazz-Fusion. In 1971, only Santana, War and Earth, Wind & Fire and on the East coast, Joe Bataan were making music with a similar feel. The lyrics refer to the experience of life lived in the vicinity of the Harlem River Drive - socially conscious, critical. They would be cheesy if used like that today, but this was 1971, a different time altogether. The song songs are like jams. There are awesome excursions by the group members.

An overlooked gem worth the effort of chasing it.

Bruce Fowler - 1993 - Entropy

Bruce Fowler

1993

Entropy

01. Canon de Chelly (6:12)

02. Flames (4:24)

03. Love Dreams (4:54)

04. The Rat (5:44)

05. Entropy (3:39)

06. Seven Steps To Heaven (4:23)

07. Man's Epitaph (5:34)

08. Floatin' (6:58)

09. A Bash Fit For A King (5:57)

10. Bullin' (5:38)

Bruce Fowler / trombone, the spoken word

Steve Fowler / alto sax, flute

Tom Fowler / acoustic bass, violin

Walt Fowler / trumpet, flugelhorn

Chester Thompson / drums

Billy Childs / piano

Kei Akagi / piano

Kurt McGettrick / baritine sax, contrabass clarinet

Phil Teele / bass trombone

Suzette Moriarty / french horn

Albert Wing / tenor sax

Of all the Fowler brothers, trombonist Bruce may be the most talented. Aside from the many Zappa albums he has appeared on, I have seen and heard him with many other jazz groups, and he always plays spectacularly.

This album, under Bruce's name, has essentially the same musicians as most of the Fowler's albums: four of the five brothers, Bruce (of course), Tom, Walt, and Steve (Ed must have been busy), along with fellow Zappa alumni Albert Wing, Kurt McGettrick and Chester Thompson, plus a few other guests.

The music, while mostly big band be-bop, does have some hints fusion as well. While using acoustic instruments, the music is innovative enough to please this fusion fanatic. The opener, Canon De Chelly has a sound that reminds me of some of Michael Mantler or Carla Bley's pieces. The Rat, with some funny vocals spoken by Bruce, is a quirky lumbering piece, driven by brother Tom's cool acoustic bass. Bullin' is another high point, a rousing large ensemble piece. All the songs have fantastic solos, mostly Bruce's trombone, but Walt's trumpet adds some highlights as well.

Special mention needs to be made for a cover of Miles Davis' Seven Steps To Heaven, where Bruce replaces Miles' trumpet with some burning trombone licks.

Bruce Fowler - 1990 - Ants Can Count

Bruce Fowler

1990 

Ants Can Count

01. Mountain Mist 8:57

02. Ants Can Count 10:18

03. 3 M0D2=1 2:57

04. Ode To Stravinsky And The American Indians 4:29

05. Winter In Maine 5:45

06. One Man One Bone 4:57

07. Something Big 4:24

08. Duet For Flute And Trombone 6:27

09. Duet For French Horn And Trombone 4:00

10. Downriver 10:16

11. Let's Hope 2:20

Bass – Tom Fowler

Bass Trombone – Phil Teele

Drums – Billy Mintz, Chester Thompson, Clark Woodard

Flute, Alto Saxophone – Steve Fowler

French Horn – Suzette Moriarty

Percussion – Ed Mann

Piano, Bass – Ed Fowler

Trombone – Bruce Fowler

Trumpet – Walt Fowler

Although trombonist Bruce Fowler and his many brothers all have a strong sense of humor, this set is actually fairly somber much of the time. Fowler utilizes different instrumentation on each of his originals and some of the pieces are almost completely written out, while a couple others are more freely improvised. The music falls between jazz and modern classical music, with a wide variety of intriguing tone colors and unusual combinations of instruments. For example, "Mountain Mist" and "Something Big" have four brass instruments, flute, drums, and percussion. Fowler overdubbed himself on a few trombones for "Ode to Stravinsky and the American Indians" and is heard all alone on "One Man One Bone." There are duets by Fowler with flute and French horn, a feature for a brass quartet on "Let's Hope," and a few numbers with more conventional instrumentations. This set would have been uplifted if it had utilized more of Fowler's wit, but what is here does hold one's interest.

Tom Fowler - 1992 - Heartscapes

Tom Fowler

1992

Heartscapes

01. Coffee Shop 5:36

02. Merely To Love You 4:30

03. Arigato Daijobu 4:10

04. Jimmy 4:56

05. She Looks Like A Girl 5:09

06. Angel Face 3:58

07. Burn You With Cold 4:17

08. Languished On The Line 5:03

Alto Saxophone – Steve Fowler (tracks: 1, 2, 4, 5, 8)

Backing Vocals – Alec Milstein (tracks: 8)

Backing Vocals – Amy Keyes (tracks: 7)

Backing Vocals – Bob Fernandez (tracks: 7)

Backing Vocals – Cathy Wyatt (tracks: 7)

Backing Vocals – Jaime Troy (tracks: 7)

Backing Vocals – Joy Fowler (tracks: 7)

Backing Vocals – Margie Balter (tracks: 7)

Bass Trombone – Phil Teele (tracks: 1, 5, 8)

Double Bass – Tom Fowler (tracks: 1, 6)

Drums – Chester Thompson (tracks: 2)

Drums – Gary Novak (tracks: 1)

Drums – Ralph Humphrey (tracks: 4)

Drums – Ray Brinker (tracks: 3, 5 to 7)

Drums – Vinnie Colaiuta (tracks: 8)

Effects – Alex Wurman (tracks: 7)

Electric Bass – Tom Fowler (tracks: 2 to 5, 7, 8)

Flute – Steve Fowler (tracks: 1, 2, 4, 5, 8)

Guitar – Michael O'Neill (tracks: 1, 2, 8)

Guitar – Mike Miller (tracks: 2 to 7)

Keyboards – Walt Fowler (tracks: 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8)

Percussion – Ricky Cosentino (tracks: 1)

Tenor Saxophone – Albert Wing (tracks: 1, 2, 5, 8)

Trombone – Bruce Fowle (tracks: 1, 2, 5, 8)

Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Walt Fowler (tracks: 1, 2, 4 to 6, 8)

Violin – Tom Fowler (tracks: 4)

Vocals – Aimee Chalfant (tracks: 5)

Vocals – Lynn Fiddmont (tracks: 8)

Vocals – Ricky Cosentino (tracks: 1 to 7)

Words By – Ricky Cosentino (tracks: 6)

This is a really brilliant album if one has the de-conditioned ears to listen closely. It is very accessible but also very Zappaesque and modern, as it should be, coming from Zappa's old bass player from the early 1970s, during the time George Duke and Jean Luc Ponty were in the band (Fowler also played on the stone-cold classic early JLP albums "Aurora" and "Imaginary Voyage"). Some of the songs have a "smooth-jazz" feel to it on the surface but make no mistake about it, they are still quite progressive in their own little ways. Fowler, following the example of Zappa, has tweaked the tunes and the lyrics and every bit of detail in just the right way to turn it into a real artistic statement full of humor and discovery and not just another cynical attempt to get radio play and achieve "commercial potential" through watering things down. The singers Fowler uses are not famous names to me but they are amazing. I really hate bad singers (or singers who may have at one time been great but lost it) who can't carry a tune but are given a pass because they're famous personalities from well-known groups,etc.

As far as appearances from other famous Zappa alumni go besides Tom and the rest of the Fowler brothers, Vinnie Colaiuta plays drums on track 8, Chester Thompson on track 2 and Ralph Humphrey on track 4. Chick Corea, Allan Holdsworth and Alanis Morissette drummer Gary Novak plays drums on track 1.

Steve Fowler - 1991 - The Last Blue Sky

Steve Fowler

1991

The Last Blue Sky

01. Prisoner Of Dreams (5:10)

02. The Last Blue Sky (5:30)

03. Sneaky (4:47)

04. In The Drums (5:13)

05. A Trip With Bill (4:34)

06. Reunion At Phil's (5:24)

07. Klaope (5:31)

08. May I See Your Cotangent Bundle, Please? (6:06)

09. Misgivings (4:18)

Steve Fowler / flute, alto sax

Walt Fowler / trumpet, flugelhorn, keyboards

Ed Fowler / bass, organ, electric piano

Chester Thompson / drums, percussion

Alex Acuna / percussion

Bruce Fowler / trombone

Albert Wing / tenor sax

Tom Fowler / electric bass

Mike Miller / acoustic guitar, electric guitar

George Souza / electric guitar

Kevin Chokan / electric guitar

Chris Trujillo / percussion

Russ Henry / percussion

Mike O'Neill / electric guitar

Ed Mann / percussion

Ramon Estagnaro / acoustic guitar

Steve Fowler is one of the two Fowler brothers (the other was Ed) to not appear on a Frank Zappa album. But from this release, I wonder why this was so. Here, Steve shows to be every bit as talented as his brothers. Perhaps Frank didn't have much use for flute in his compositions.

With all but two of the tracks written by Steve, the music on this album is primarily fusion, unlike the more big band oriented released under brother Bruce's and The Fowler Brothers monnikers. And the fusion is quite good. While using the flute as the primary instrument can often cause a bit too much lightness, Steve manages to curtail this by having quite a few interesting twists and turns to his music.

However good his compositions are, the best songs on the album were written by other brothers. Ed contributed In The Drums, a song that seems like it's going to be a simple samba, except it kepps veering into Zappa-like interludes. And Bruce wrote, May I See Your Cotangent Bundle, Please, which features Ed Mann on percussion.

Zappaphiles should note that aside from Fowlers Bruce, Walt and Tom, the album also features Chester Thompson on drums and Albert Wing on tenor sax. Mike Miller, who played with many Zappa alumni in Banned From Utopia, is also on this album.

Steve Fowler - 1987 - Captured

Steve Fowler

1987

Captured

01. The Pygmy Forest 4:52

02. Colors For Marvin 4:07

03. For H.H. He Is Abnormal 6:18

04. The Gentleman Of Leisure 3:58

05. The Wayside 5:23

06. They Hang Out 6:08

07. Bikini Paralysis 4:45

08. Drowning In The Air 3:53

Drums – Chester Thompson

Electric Bass – Ed Fowler

Guitar – Mike O'Neill

Percussion – Alex Acuña

Flute, Alto Saxophone – Steve Fowler

Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Keyboards – Walt Fowler

Synth – Paul Young

Trombone – Bruce Fowler

Vocals – Marvin Fowler

One of 5 musical brothers, and the son of a classical composer and professor of music, Steve has been surrounded by both jazz abd classical music throughtout his life. The Fowler Brothers' Band was a pioneer in the early days of fusion and the use of synthesizers in jazz. Recently, the Fowler Brothers have developed their own record company and have all found work in the LA film industry, playing and orchestrating on many movies, including The Lion King, Batman Returns and The Mask. Steve has toured the U S with the Brian Setzer Orchestra and the Gregory Hines Group "Rhapsody in Taps" and The Fowler Brothers. Steve has recorded with The Fowler Brothers, Linda Ronstadt, Brian Setzer, Chester Thompson, Scott Brannon, Stan Ridgeway, Geraldo Avevido, Hillary Stagg and many others.

The Flute makes a lonely sound, its high floating tones evoking a kind of ineffable sadness that rises over the accompaniment of other instruments. It could have been the mood I was in that made me feel that way as I drove away from the small, dark apartment occupied by Steve Fowler. He had given me a compact disc called "The Last Blue Sky" that I listened to as I edged through the blistering heat of North Hollywood on a cloudless Valley day. Fowler produced the album and plays the flute in it. I became absorbed by its sound and imagined it came from someplace deep in the man's soul..........I became aware of himwhen a friend sent me a eulogy Fowler had written for himself, its depth and beauty transcending illness to achieve a plane most writers never know. ......... The memory of Steve Fowler burns in my memory. His written words resonate. Driving away, I listen to the tears in his music, the lonely cry of his flute, and I feel a great sadness.

Fowler Brothers - 1988 - Breakfast For Dinosaurs

Fowler Brothers 

1988 

Breakfast For Dinosaurs

01. Call Waiting (6:10)

02. Languished On The Line (5:01)

03. Queue (6:43)

04. Breakfast For Dinosaurs (4:26)

05. Mr. Butterfly (4:26)

06. She's Not Symmetrical (4:56)

07. Kaiparowitz High (6:48)

08. No More Mr. Nice Girl (5:19)

Bruce Fowler / trombone, background vocals

Steve Fowler / alto sax, flute

Tom Fowler / bass

Walt Fowler / trumpet, flugelhorn, keyboards

Ed Fowler / bass, keyboards

Albert Wing / tenor sax

Mike O'Neill / Electric Guitar, background vocals

Lynn Fiddmont / lead & background vocals

Chester Thompson / drums

Alex Acuna / drums, percussion

Vinny Colaiuta / drums

Phil Teele / bass trombone

Ike Willis / lead vocal

Mike Miller / acoustic guitar

Luis Conte / percussion

Mona Lisa Young / background vocals

Alec Milstein / background vocal

The title track is the most interesting cut on the album, and it's no surprise it was penned by Bruce Fowler. Most of the rest of the album sounds like it's from a 1980s movie soundtrack (for some reason I keep picturing Eddie Murphy). Even the final cut would fit right in being played during a film's credit roll at the end of the movie. Better I think for most people to seek out Bruce's solo efforts first.

Bruce Fowler & Phil Teele - 1984 - Synthetic Division

Bruce Fowler & Phil Teele

1984

Synthetic Division

01. Didjeriblues

02. Godel's Proof

03. For Frank (Rosolino)

04. Painim

05. Club Cindy

06. No Apparent Structural Hazard

07. Estimados Cesar and Chico

08. Synthetic Division

09. Deply Those Bases

10. Crippled Truth

11. Synthetic Division (Reprise)

12. A Flea Circus With Lorena, The Bare-back Rider

Bass Trombone, Trombone [Contrabass], Sousaphone [Bells], Didgeridoo, Shaker, Conch, Sounds [Bull Roar, Petrified Whale Bones, Lips], Bells [Japanese Temple Bells], Synthesizer – Phil

Tenor Trombone, Didgeridoo, Shaker, Conch, Rattle, Sousaphone [Bells], Sounds [Lips, Organ Pipes], Vocals – Bruce

Absolutely wonderful record. You would not think so by looking at the cd cover (which doesn't show he array of instruments used). Of course, Zappa fans and others interested in jazz and fusion might know Fowler. In any case, both artist are known as 'trombone players'. So one would think 'oh, a duo trombone album'. But it actually is a lot more as the guys play other 'blow through' instruments, and synths, MANY percussions, Pipe Organ, etc. What's the music like? inventive, avant, prog, but above all, highly entertaining. Not a lot of cacophony but instead, very melodic without the saccharine. Zappa fans, Albert Mangelsdorff/Paul Rutherford/Conrad Bauer fans and fusion / jazz lovers searching for new territories should DEFINITELY check this one out.

Air Pocket - 1975 - Fly On

Air Pocket 

1975

Fly On

01. Unforseen (5:23)

02. Delicate Essence (5:35)

03. Colors For Marvin (4:03)

04. Ho-Lo Redic (5:16)

05. Elephant's Graveyard (5:29)

06. Night's Move (6:26)

07. Easy To Say (6:17)

08. Becky (3:52)

Walt Fowler: trumpet, miraphon

Bruce Fowler: trombone

Steve Fowler: alto saxophone, flute

Albert Wing: soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone

Mike Miller: guitar

Stu Goldberg: piano, electric piano, mini-moog, clavinet

Ed Fowler: electric bass

Tom Fowler: electric bass on 4

Chester Thompson: drums

Born into a musical family, The Fowler Brothers - Russ, James (Jim) and Steve, nurtured their desire and appreciation for music through their father; performer and acclaimed guitar teacher, Russell, Sr. In 1969 Russell moved the family from Kansas City, Missouri and settled in Houston, Texas. While Russell Sr. focused on his teaching career, Russ, Jr., Jim and Steve began performing in various Houston bands. Steve Fowler credits listening to Jerry Jeff Walker, Guy Clark and a trip to the Kerrville Folk Festival in 1975 for the direction and inspiration to start writing and performing their own material.

Their first gig in Houston was at the legendary Old Quarter in Houston where they did a guest set during a Lucinda Williams performance. Throughout the 80’s the brothers developed a loyal following and solid reputation in Houston and Austin performing their original material. Jim and Steve continued on as a duo throughout the 90’s and released their Live at the Hops House recording on CD on New Years Eve in 1999.

They became a trio once again when Tony Kozel, longtime friend, songwriter and noted bass player, joined Jim and Steve in 1999. While performing regularly at the Hops House when the club went up for sale, Jim and his wife Pam saw an opportunity and purchased the venue in July of 2000. Now called the JP Hops House, Jim and Pam remodeled the club, added a state of the art sound system and now specialize in featuring live original music. They host the Houston Chapter of the Nashville Songwriters Association and the Fort Bend County Songwriters Association showcase and every Sunday. The Fowler Brothers continue writing and performing and call the JP Hops House their home base. Their music can best be described as singer/songwriter, country/folk or simply stated, “Texas Music”

Not long after three of the talented Fowler family (Bruce on trombone, Walt on trumpet, and Tom on bass) became well known for their stints in Frank Zappa's (arguably) best lineup, the entire Fowler Brothers group got together with a few extra musicians (including Chester Thompson) and recorded this album under the band name Air Pocket.

The music style falls somewhere in between fusion and big band jazz, and producer Oliver Nelson (you jazz fans should know his name) keeps the sound smooth and clean. The songs are designed to let the Fowlers loose on solos. Bruce, to my ears, has always been the best of the brothers, and his trombone solos are my favorites on the album.

The Zappa influences are allowed to seep through at times as well, especially in Ho-Lo Redic, where the odd timings and riffs just have to be a nod to Uncle Frank. Another highlight is Easy To Say, a funky tune that gets very frenetic toward the end.

Although the sound is sometimes a bit dated, this is still a pretty good album.