Joseph Bowie
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Joseph Bowie (born October 17, 1953 in St Louis, Missouri) is an American bandleader, trombonist, and founder of the seminal jazz fusion band, Defunkt. The group has been blending jazz with funk and punk music for more than three consecutive decades.
[edit] Background
Bowie is the younger brother of world renowned avant-garde jazz trumpeter Lester Bowie, and saxophonist Byron Bowie. He cut his teeth as a trombonist with the Black Artists Group a musical collective from St. Louis.
In 1973, Bowie relocated to New York as part of the Human Arts Ensemble (founded by Charles "Bobo" Shaw), and became involved with various rhythm and blues projects alongside no wave saxophonist James Chance. Other outfits Bowie has collaborated with include (but not limited to):
- David Murray
- Ethnik Heritage Ensemble
- Yusef Lateef
- Adam Rudolph
- Hans Dulfer
In 2003 Bowie moved to The Netherlands, where he lives in the small town of Gorinchem. Besides his own band Kosen-Rufu, he is working with several Dutch groups, such as the Hans Dulfer/Joseph Bowie Quintet, Monsieur Dubois, and the experimental computer music group, the POW Ensemble.
[edit] Personal life
After recovering from a bout with drug addiction during the 1980s, Bowie discovered Buddhism and has been a practicing Buddhist ever since. He has since founded Kosen-Rufu, another musical outfit aside from Defunkt.
