Last week, Upper School students, faculty and staff were fortunate to attend a special jazz assembly sponsored through funds from the George N. King Jazz Endowment. The featured artist was the Ralph Bowen Jazz Quartet.

Hailing from the New York City area, the quartet features Ralph Bowen (tenor saxophone) with Jim Ridl (piano), Kenny Davis (bass) and Cliff Almond (drums).

The band's latest recording, "Ralph Bowen," was nominated for a Juno Award (Canada's version of a Grammy) for Best Jazz Album in 2019. Ralph is a Professor of Music, Director of Jazz Studies at Rutgers University. He has toured with jazz great Horace Silver, as well as with Michel Camilo, and can be heard on Camilo's latest recording, "Essence." Ralph and I attended Indiana University together in the mid-1980s.

Watch the full assembly below: