Joseph Bowie
Encyclopedia
Joseph Bowie 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.
Bowie is the younger brother of world renowned avant-garde jazz
trumpeter Lester Bowie
, and saxophonist Byron Bowie. He began his career with the Black Artists Group
a musical collective
from St. Louis, then later joined the Human Arts Ensemble
(founded by Charles "Bobo" Shaw), the Ethnic Heritage Ensemble
, and became involved with various rhythm and blues
projects alongside no wave
saxophonist James Chance
.
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. In 2003 Bowie moved to The Netherlands, where he lives in the small town of Gorinchem
where he works with a number of groups.
Bandleader
A bandleader is the leader of a band of musicians. The term is most commonly, though not exclusively, used with a group that plays popular music as a small combo or a big band, such as one which plays jazz, blues, rhythm and blues or rock and roll music....
, trombonist, and founder of the seminal jazz fusion
Jazz fusion
Jazz fusion is a musical fusion genre that developed from mixing funk and R&B rhythms and the amplification and electronic effects of rock, complex time signatures derived from non-Western music and extended, typically instrumental compositions with a jazz approach to lengthy group improvisations,...
band, Defunkt
Defunkt
Defunkt is a musical group founded by trombonist/singer Joseph Bowie 1978 in New York, United States, and still active. Their music touches on elements of punk rock, funk and jazz....
. The group has been blending jazz with funk
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
and punk music for more than three consecutive decades.
Bowie is the younger brother of world renowned avant-garde jazz
Avant-garde jazz
Avant-garde jazz is a style of music and improvisation that combines avant-garde art music and composition with jazz. Avant-jazz often sounds very similar to free jazz, but differs in that, despite its distinct departure from traditional harmony, it has a predetermined structure over which ...
trumpeter Lester Bowie
Lester Bowie
Lester Bowie was an American jazz trumpet player and composer. He was a member of the AACM, and cofounded the Art Ensemble of Chicago.-Biography:...
, and saxophonist Byron Bowie. He began his career with the Black Artists Group
Black Artists Group
The Black Artists Group was a multidisciplinary arts collective that existed in St. Louis, Missouri from 1968 to 1972.Members included saxophonists Julius Hemphill, Oliver Lake, J. D...
a musical collective
Musical collective
Musical collective is a phrase used to describe a group of musicians in which membership is flexible and creative control is shared. Such entities have transitioned from the traditional hierarchical configuration that features either a frontman , or a plurality of band members in tension for...
from St. Louis, then later joined the Human Arts Ensemble
Human Arts Ensemble
The Human Arts Ensemble was a 1970s musical collective operating in St. Louis, Missouri. Members explored free jazz and loosely associated themselves with the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians and the Black Artists' Group collective...
(founded by Charles "Bobo" Shaw), the Ethnic Heritage Ensemble
Ethnic Heritage Ensemble
Ethnic Heritage Ensemble is an American jazz ensemble with several notable members, including Kalaparusha Maurice McIntyre, Kahil El'Zabar, Joseph Bowie, Ernest Dawkins, Light Henry Huff and Edward Wilkerson....
, and became involved with various rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
projects alongside no wave
No Wave
No Wave was a short-lived but influential underground music, film, performance art, video, and contemporary art scene that had its beginnings during the mid-1970s in New York City. The term No Wave is in part satirical word play rejecting the commercial elements of the then-popular New Wave genre...
saxophonist James Chance
James Chance
James Chance, also known as James White , is an American saxophonist, songwriter and singer....
.
After recovering from a bout with drug addiction during the 1980s, Bowie discovered Buddhism
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
and has been a practicing Buddhist ever since. He has since founded Kosen-Rufu, another musical outfit aside from Defunkt. In 2003 Bowie moved to The Netherlands, where he lives in the small town of Gorinchem
Gorinchem
Gorinchem , also called Gorkum , is a city and municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The municipality covers an area of 21.99 km² of which 3.03 km² is water...
where he works with a number of groups.