Summer Jazzfest: The Ralph Bowen Quartet

Canadian-born jazz saxaphone player, Ralph Bowen and his quartet, entertained Red Bank audiences at the second installement of the Summer Jazzfest at the Two River Theater (TRT) on Friday and Saturday.  The biweekly event is presented by the Jazz Arts Project. 

Bowen, known for the "casual perfectionism" of his playing made his mark on the New York jazz scene for over three decades in clubs, concert halls, and festivals worldwide. Bowen's discography of over 70 titles includes associations with Orrin Evans, Michel Camilo, Horace Silver, Renee Rosnes, Kenny Garrett, Steve Wilson, Kenny Davis, Michael Mossman, Ralph Peterson Jr., Anthony Branker, and Jared Gold.

In keeping with the summer music series theme of "In Tribute," Jazz Arts Project founder Joe Muccioli said that Bowen's appearance and perfomance "honors not only his musical influences but also the great educators that he studied with such as Pat LaBarbera and Phil Nimmons at the Banff School of Fine Arts and Distinguished Professor David Baker at Indiana University." Bowen also holds a position as Associate Professor at Rutgers University.

The Jazz Arts Project is presenting their annual Summer Jazzfest at  TRT with shows every Friday and Saturday (8PM) through August 6th. The concert series began at TRT in 2006, the same year the music organization was formed. The event, held in the Marion Huber performance space within the TRT, offers audiences the opportunity to experience intimate jazz performances with some of the craft's most skilled players, bands and solo artists.

This weekend's (July 15th & 16th) Jazzfest performance includes vocalist, composer, arranger and educator, Charenee Wade.  The singer has performed at many prestigious venues including the Jazz Gallery and Jazz at Lincoln Centerʼs Dizzyʼs Club Coca-Cola. She appears regularly at The Zinc Bar, The River Room, and at various other venues in the tri-state area. Inspired by Sarah Vaughn and after many years of intense studies in jazz and classical music, Wade was accepted into Betty Carterʼs Jazz Ahead Program and performed her original music at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. In 2006, she was 1st Runner-Up in the Jazzmobile Vocal Competition.

For more information or to support the Jazz Arts Project, check them out on the web at: http://www.jazzartsproject.org/WP/

To order tickets go to: http://trtc.org/plays_events/events.php

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