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A Candid Interview (and some kind words, too) "Dean Bowman is a singer, vocalist, voice-over artist, and educator, offering masterclasses and workshops in vocal music training, history, and vocal techniques, as well as spellbinding solo recitals. Bowman is a protean vocalist and recording artist, and a skilled and engaging teacher of vocal music. Specializing in traditional Black spirituals, Bowman performs solo and with various ensembles throughout the US and Europe. Also as an educator, he uses the spirituals (traditional and contemporary) to teach improvisational vocal techniques, choral singing, singing with a band (or for the band, playing with singers), even overcoming stage fright. Deaniac. Dean Bowman should be the most important American singer alive. Clearly, I already think he is. And 'important' being a slight distinction from 'best' (not that I would be averse to promoting this as well). I'm sure that this isn't the first time someone has listened to a performer and thought, 'if everyone just listened to this, people could, would change.' To say nothing of the powerful orators that we have cast aside, if not outright destroyed. But resilience of spirit should be celebrated and inspire action.Hunter brings dressed-down jazz to WNC ... Screaming Headless Dean Bowman... has an eclectic resume of his own, having recorded everything from rock (the Torsos) to jazz (with Don Byron and Uri Caine) to classical (Mahler’s Symphony No. 1, natch). It’s hard to tell just what’s in store for concertgoers — a jazz-rock-groove-holler-jam? — but one thing is for certain: you won’t need suit and tie to attend "Dean has it all going on - the pipes, the chops and the improvisational skills to keep every tune new. What more could you want in a singer?" - John Scofield " Arthur Prysock meets Leon Thomas meets Robert Plant..." - Vernon Reid " a force of nature" – Deborah Harry "the voice of a God" - Madonna "possibly the greatest living rock and roll singer" – Wesley Grant "the most important jazz vocalist since Bobby McFerrin" - Sue Mingus "He makes sounds I can’t even make. How's he do that?" - David Liebman " a vocal range that would make Mariah Carey cringe" - Billboard "... moves effortlessly from in-your-face frontman to hipster beat poet" - John L Waters (LONDON GUARDIAN) "... undulating crescendos that were nothing short of jaw dropping" – Kevin O’Neill Live Music Review (with Scofield Band) JOHN SCOFIELD Screaming Headless Torsos, Choice Cuts 4 stars (FuzeMore) John L Walters Friday February 24 2006 The Guardian For those of you who think virtuosity and rock are fundamentally incompatible ... well you've probably stopped reading already. The rest of us can enjoy the supercharged excesses of the Screaming Headless Torsos. SHT are like a postmodern Led Zep, only funkier and cooler thanks to vocalist Dean Bowman, who brings subtlety, flair and authority to every song he performs, whether it's an out-and-out rocker (Mind Is a River), a stadium ballad (No Survivors) or a Jimi Hendrix classic (Little Wing).The SHT come unstuck when the material is poor: SUVSOB is like politically correct Zappa. On form, however, Bowman and founder-guitarist Dave "Fuze" Fiuczynski give us a glimpse of a way Hendrix might have taken rock had he survived. Jimi would have loved to play with musicians as funky and ferocious as the Torsos' backline, which includes amazing percussion from Daniel Sadownick.back to top |
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