Ralph Bowen and his Orchestra was part of Detroit's vibrant big band scene from the late 1940's through the 1950's. This 1955 recording preserves one night's performance of the band at the Braystone Ballroom, an elegant dance hall built in 1924 at the corner of Woodward Avenue and Canfield.
The Graystone attracted the top big bands, including Duke Elllington, Benny Goodman, Harry James, Ozzie Nelson and other nationally-known bands, as well as Detroit groups such as McKinney's Cotton Pickers, Jean Goldkette's Orchestra, and Ralph Bowen.
Few recordings of the live big band performances from that era have survived. The tracks on this recording contain the excitement and spontaneity of a live performance, adn the ambient sounds of the dance crowd on the floor of the Graystone. Evident in the selection of songs and the style in which they were played is Ralph Bowen's emphasis on music to be danced to, rather than merely listed to. Enjoy this recreation of an evening of dancing at the Graystone Ballroom!
Ralph Bowen continues to perform, and is available for shows and private functions.
BALLROOM DANCING AT ITS BEST!
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©
2010 Detroit Federation of Musicians. All rights reserved.
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