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October 11
A native of Frederick, MD, Bowie was reared in Little Rock, AR, and St. Louis, and began playing at age 5. He was leading a teen combo in St. Louis at the age of 16. He then went into military service, returning to work with R&B groups and in support of his wife, Fontella Bass. Bowie worked in the backup bands for R&B sessions for the Chess label and was instrumental in the formation of the Black Artists Group in St. Louis before moving to Chicago in 1966. In Chicago, Bowie became involved with the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM) and worked with Roscoe Mitchell, a group that with the addition of Joseph Jarman and Malachi Favors became the Art Ensemble of Chicago, a groundbreaking group that continues to this day (minus Jarman). While in Paris with the Art Ensemble in 1969-'70, Bowie recorded with an assortment of avant-garde players and made German recordings in the same period. In addition to his continuing role with the Art Ensemble, Bowie worked with Jack DeJohnette's New Directions and followed a varied career through the 1980s and '1990s. His bent notes, slurs, growls, half-valve effects, and showy, comedic flair added a fun, light, bluesy quality to the Art Ensemble performances and recordings. His best recordings outside the Art Ensemble include "The Fifth Power" (Black Saint) and "My Way" (DIW). The pure joy of making music is found in abundance in the sounds created by Lester Bowie. He died November 9, 1999. Reference: Jazz People by Harry N. Abrams, Incorporated, New York Copyright 1976 ISBN 0-8109-1152-3
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The African American Registry®, The African American Registry® Copyright 2005, 2006
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