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Joshua Bowlus

Growing up in Port Orange, FL as the oldest of three siblings, Joshua Bowlus started piano lessons at age five. He trained classically throughout his childhood with private lessons at Stetson University until he began high school. He credits both his high school band director Andrew Kidd and local pianist and teacher Harold Blanchard for sparking his interest in jazz, introducing him to the legendary sounds of masters such as Ahmad Jamal, Oscar Peterson, Thelonious Monk and more. Bowlus was awarded the Louis Armstrong award in high school and continued his music education at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville, studying under pianists Kevin Bales & Keith Javors. The head of the UNF jazz department and legendary alto saxophonist Bunky Green served as Joshua’s primary mentor through his later years in college. Since graduating from college in 2006, he has built his musical career as a jazz pianist in the Southeast region, as both bandleader and sideman for various groups and artists.

Joshua has performed at multiple jazz festivals and venues around the country, including the Jacksonville Jazz Fest, the Savannah Jazz Fest, the Monterey Jazz Fest, Good Times Jazz Bar, B-Sharp's Jazz Cafe, The Jazz Corner, and Iridium Jazz Club in NYC.  He has also performed abroad in France, Spain, and China.  As the pianist for the UNF Jazz Ensemble One during his college years, the big band played a two-week concert tour of China, and performed as a big band on the Great Wall of China.  

Bowlus currently performs as the bandleader for his own trio and quartet, and plays regularly in local venues such as The Parlour, Blue Jay Listening Room, Breezy Jazz Club, The Volstead, and the Ritz Theatre. He has performed on stage with national and international artists including Bunky Green, Jazzmeia Horn, Ulysses Owens, Barry Greene, Dennis Marks, Yasushi Nakamura, Annie Sellick, Patrick Bartley, Jon Irabagon, Adam Larson, Charanee Wade, and Chantae Cann.  Bowlus collaborates regularly with vocalist Linda Cole, who is a family member of the Nat King Cole family dynasty. They released an album together in 2014 entitled “What a Wonderful World.” Joshua is a founding member of the Jazz Conceptions Orchestra, a NYC-based 9-piece jazz ensemble. He co-leads the Jax Jazz Collective, a modern jazz sextet which has recorded two albums thus far.  Bowlus has recorded on many projects with other celebrated artists, including tenor saxophonist John Ricci, drummer Ben Adkins, electric bassist Jon Reshard (a fusion album which includes guitarist Greg Howe and drummer Dave Weckl), drummer Larry Wilson, vocalist Carter Calvert, and alto saxophonist Daniel Dickinson. He most recently recorded with up-and-coming alto saxophonist DeAndre Lettsome for his debut album “Impetus.”

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6
Album Review

Joshua Bowlus: Sleigh Ride

Read "Sleigh Ride" reviewed by La-Faithia White


Sleigh Ride is a modern jazz Christmas gift from pianist and composer Joshua Bowlus which will brighten the holiday season. Joshua performs as the bandleader for his own trio and quartet. The thirteen-track album features long-time friends and musical collaborators Linda Cole on vocals, Juan Rollan on tenor sax, Stan Piper on bass and Ben Adkins on drums. Bowlus collaborates regularly with vocalist Linda Cole, a niece of Nat King Cole and a member of his family dynasty.

3
Live Review

Joshua Bowlus Trio at The Jazz Corner

Read "Joshua Bowlus Trio at The Jazz Corner" reviewed by Martin McFie


Joshua Bowlus Trio The Jazz Corner Hilton Head Island, SC November 30 to December 1, 2018 As an introduction to his version of “For All We Know," Joshua Bowlus read out the lyrics while clicking his fingers loudly to lead the trio into a slow version of the 1934 tune. “For all we know/ We may never meet again/Before you go/ Make this moment sweet again/ We won't say goodnight/Until the last minute/ ...

5
Album Review

Linda Cole and Joshua Bowlus: What a Wonderful World

Read "What a Wonderful World" reviewed by C. Michael Bailey


Yes...that Cole Family. The same talent pool that gave us Nat King Cole and Freddy Cole has also given us Linda Cole (a daughter of the brothers Cole's cousin). Linda Cole teams with pianist/arranger Joshua Bowlus and his quartet for a breezy stroll through 13 pieces from the Cole Family songbook and beyond. Globally, Bowlus supplies fresh arrangements, making these chestnuts new again without polishing away their nostalgic sepia tone. Bowlus favors a relaxed slow-tempo swing that ...

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2

Music Industry

Pianist Joshua Bowlus Spreads Christmas Cheer With New Music

Pianist Joshua Bowlus Spreads Christmas Cheer With New Music

Source: Joshua Bowlus

With a long overdue follow-up to his debut album in 2014 (What a Wonderful World), Joshua Bowlus collaborates again with vocalist Linda Cole to create a fresh offering of Christmas classics. This time, about half of the tracks feature Linda while the rest are instrumentals. The album cover showcases Joshua sitting at a grand piano full of wrapped gifts, as if the piano itself was a sleigh and the gifts contain the joyous music which will abound. Joshua has surrounded ...

"Joshua's intricate excursions were well-developed spontaneous compositions which showed a remarkable level of maturity and musical intellect." ~Rick Grant, Entertaining U

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Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Sleigh Ride

Bold City Records
2023

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What a Wonderful World

Self Produced
2014

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Sleigh Ride

From: Sleigh Ride
By Joshua Bowlus

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