John Stowell

John Stowell

John Stowell is an American Jazz guitarist, composer, author and lecturer.

Biography

Stowell, who plays electric and acoustic guitar, raised in Connecticut had private studies with Linc Chamberland and John Mehegan. Several years later he met bassist David Friesen in New York City, and they formed a duo in 1976 that recorded and toured prolifically for seven years, with performances in the United States, Canada, Europe and Australia. The duo continues to perform thirty years after their first meeting. In 1983, Stowell and David Friesen joined flutist Paul Horn and Paul’s son Robin Horn (on drums) for a tour of the Soviet Union. In 1977 Stowell recorded his debut album Golden Delicious; his sidemen were Jim McNeely, Mike Richmond, and Billy Hart

Stowell teach internationally, he has been Artist-In-Residence at schools in Germany, Indonesia, Argentina, and in the United States and Canada. He served as assistant director and performer in Oregon Public Broadcasting’s PDX Jazz Summit in 1991, and since 1995 has been a contributing columnist for a number of magazines, including Downbeat, Guitar Player, Canadian Musician, Soundcheck (Germany), and Guitar Club (Italy). In Germany, he teaches at Jazz & Rock Schulen Freiburg und with Frank Haunschild, with whom he playes regularly in a duo. Otherwisew he has worked with Uwe Kropinski, Dave Liebman, Hiram Mutschler, Gérard Pansanel, Kelley Shannon, and Nicolao Valiensi. In 2005 Stowell published Jazz Guitar Mastery (book and DVD). Stowell lives currently in Portland, Oregon.

John Stowell playes in a single-note style from the nearly vertical position of the guitar - not unlike the position of a cello.

Stowells Album Through the Listening Glass with David Friesen was chosen of the best Jazz Albums of the Decade by the Los Angeles Examiner; he was chosen as a Talent Deserving Wider Recognition by Downbeat’s International Critic’s Poll in 1978 and 1979.

Discography

• Through the Listening Glass (Inner City, 1978) with David Friesen
• Somewhere (Semaphore, 1985)
• The Banff Sessions (Origin, 1998) with Dave Liebman
• Resonance (Origin, 2003/04) solo
• Listen to This (acoustic music, 2004) with Frank Haunschild
• Summer Nights (Jardis, 2005 with Kelley Shannon
• Swan Tones, Vol. 1 (Soloway, 2005)
• Solitary Tales (Origin, 2008) solo

Weblinks

• Homepage
• John Stowell at AllMusic
• Portrait at Doolin Guitars
• Portrait at bei Origin Records
• Portland Jazz Festival 2005 at All About Jazz
• Excerpts from Jazz Guitar Mastery (2005) at google books