JOHN STOWELL
John Stowell began his successful career in the early 1970s with guitar lessons in his native Connecticut from guitarist Linc Chamberland, and from pianist John Mehegan, a respected jazz educator at the Juilliard School of Music and Yale University. Several years later he met noted bassist David Friesen in New York City, and they formed a duo that recorded and toured prolifically for seven years, with performances in Europe, Canada, the United States, and Australia. The duo continues to perform thirty years after their first meeting. In 1983 John and David Friesen joined flutist Paul Horn and Paul's son Robin Horn for a historic tour of the Soviet Union. This was the first time in forty years that an American jazz group had been invited to play public performances in Russia. In 1993, 1995, and 1998. John returned to Russia, playing in numerous cities. His two sold-out performances in Kursk may be the first appearances there by an American jazz musician. John continues to tour, record, and teach internationally. He has been Artist-In-Residence at Schools in Germany, Indonesia, Argentina, the United States, and Canada. He served as assistant director and performer in Oregon Public Broadcasting's PDX Jazz Summit in 1991, and since 1995 has been a contributing columnist to several magazines, including Downbeat, Guitar Player, Canadian Musician, Soundcheck (Germany), and Guitar Club (Italy).