Phil Bowler & Pocket Jungle

Phil Bowler & Pocket Jungle

Zoho Music

Phil Bowler is a Grammy winning bassist and sideman who played in the bands of Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Horace Silver, Hilton Ruiz, and Wynton Marsalis, among many others. Twenty years ago Bowler also had his own jazz ensemble called “Pocket Jungle”. Now they are back together “back into the pocket, back into the groove”.

From the original band lineup are Bowler, bass; William “Beaver” Bausch, drums; and Pete Smith, guitars. Saxophonist Paul Carlon was an early replacement for departing trumpeter Bill Dowling. The newest member is drummer and tabla player Scott Latzky who also plays with Bausch, Smith, and Carlon in the Afro-Cuban jazz band “Grupo Los Santos”.

The band is featured on nine compositions including two they performed in the old days. “Old Devil Moon” composed by Burton Lane and E.Y. Harburg is from the 1947 musical “Finian’s Rainbow”; listen to the rhythmic interplay between Bausch and Bowler. The funky “Wights Waits For Weights” is from saxophonist Steve Coleman’s “Motherland Pulse” album recorded and released in 1985. Smith gets to “channel his inner Jimmy Page” and Carlon takes a dramatic saxophone solo.

Drummer Bausch contributes both “The Set Up” which kicks off this fine album and “Little Bear”. Saxophonist Carlon has composed “Time In”. Guitarist Smith has written “Time Released”, and “Harryson” is from drummer Latzky.

“West 22^nd Street Theme” was composed by vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson. “Funky Cha” is from bassist Harvie S who originally recorded it on the 2006 album of the same name, also on Zoho Music.

This jazz band possesses an infinite lyricism. They are held together by Bowler’s bass which enables them to stay true to the groove while still taking musical risks.

This is the real deal and one of my favorite jazz albums of the year.

Richard Ludmerer