Arthur Fowler
This sparkling 5 song EP from singer/songwriter Arthur Fowler is an absolute delight. A jazzy vibe pervades the entire set as Fowler performs with two different sets of musicians. The first two songs were recorded with Chicago blues musicians such as Felton Crews on bass and Johnny Iguana on organ. Leading with “Here I Am”, the band really swings on this light, easy melody that is carried by his jazzy voice and delivery. Most notable is the scorching guitar solo by Fowler, a highlight of many of his songs. The instrumental “Blues for Wesley” features a laid-back Fowler guitar solo through most of the tune while the bassline slithers around the melody.
The latter 3 songs were recorded with his Tokyo bandmates and present an equally mesmerizing side to his performances. The mellow rocker “Tick Tock” gently flows with ease with an expressive keyboard solo and beautiful percussion. “Los Anos” comes across as a groovy rocker from the 60s with a clever jazz patter from Fowler. Also of interest is “Disappearing”, another smooth tune that echoes the halcyon days of ‘yacht rock’ in the 70s. A very diverse set of music that nonetheless remains consistently smooth and jazzy.
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Arthur Fowler found his groove as a teenaged Jimi Hendrix emulator on the East Side of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He matriculated to the blues jam scene in the early 1980s. He played original music with jazz diva Kelley Johnson, a fellow student at the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music. Also, he studied with virtuoso guitarist, innovator, and educator, Jack Grassel.
In college town cover bands and jazz jams, while studying literature and languages, Arthur collaborated with the likes of band leader Mark Schlaefer. While joining acclaimed vocalist Eva Denia’s first jazz ensemble in Valencia, Arthur also studied with one of Spain’s top jazz guitarists, Joan Soler.
Arthur is now playing jazz, blues, and pop in Tokyo (Shinjuku) with soulful vocalist Noriko Shigehara. They are known as the Shake It Hard Band. Arthur’s other Tokyo scene includes one of Tokyo’s foremost Irish fiddlers, multi-instrumentalist Jim Ediger. With bassist Alan Gleason they form the acoustic folk and rock band AJA.
Arthur keeps mining his sound from his long time interests in Wes Montgomery, Jimi Hendrix, psychedelic icon Jerry Garcia, and Latino megastar Carlos Santana. While his songwriting may evoke Neil Young, or James Taylor, but his vocal style also draws on classic sounds like Nat King Cole and Billie Holiday.
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