Ben Dowling - Pianist, Composer, Producer, Musical Director

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From the Piano Player
Thank you for your interest in my world.

For as long as I can remember, I've been fascinated by music and on a journey to find new dimensions in it. This has guided me toward becoming fairly good at playing the piano, sound synthesis, arranging and production, composition and songwriting and - perhaps most important - improvisation.

Improvisation holds a special place in my heart because it is a spiritual experience for me. There are things that happen in the course of playing with other musicians that just can not be explained by 3 dimensional reality. Impossible things happen regularly.

I like that.

During the course of this amazing journey, I've been fortunate to work with some of the finest musicians in the world. And I've noticed that music has a way of bringing different kinds of people together into supportive and productive relationships - even when they have vastly different world views and opinions. In the back of my mind, I keep hoping that the rest of the world would catch up to that model. And maybe it's starting to. My latest project, "World Rising," is an expression of that vision.

I've also been struck by how you can almost understand how people think, by the way that they play. If they lean toward structure, you hear structure. If they lean towards space, you hear space. If they are insecure, they compensate by playing impressive licks. And if they are confident, they aren't concerned with what people think - and play accordingly.

These things make the musical life the most interesting thing I could ever imagine.

It encompasses the nature of creativity, the integration of people and technology, and an incredible transparency in the play of ideas. For me, it is real magic as opposed to slight of hand. And I just can't think of anything wayer cooler than that.

Please take a listen to what I've been working on. If any of it interests you, I invite you to support the cause through purchasing the music. It's the way I am able to continue creating music worth listening to. If you have any suggestions or questions, I'd love to hear from you.

Oh, and by the way, I'm planning on doing a lot more live performance to support the new World Rising project. Would love to keep you in touch if I'm playing in your area, so be sure to sign up for the "Tour Info Email" (at left).

Peace,

Ben Dowling


 
Ben Dowling: World Rising
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Official Release: August 11, 2009 • Limited prerelease CD's Available Now!

Description:
Keyboardist Ben Dowling brings jazz, world and funk influences together in a percussion-rich, groove-centric collection featuring Mindi Abair, Will Kennedy, Satnam Ramgotra, Bob Sheppard and more. With influences of Zawinul and Hancock, World Rising is a study in the power of percussive groove, polyrhythm and modality. Includes a formerly unreleased track featuring vocalists Niki Haris and the late, great Carl Anderson.


Click To Listen:
1 World Rising - featuring Bob Sheppard: soprano sax
2 Spirit Dance - featuring Mindi Abair: alto sax
3 In My Dreams - featuring Sarah Dowling: cello; Bob Sheppard: soprano sax
4 The Calling - featuring Rod McGaha: trumpet
5 Love Embraces All - featuring Ben Dowling: vocals; Bob Sheppard: tenor sax
6 Medicine Man - featuring Michael Harris: trumpet; Bob Sheppard: tenor sax
7 Starting Over - featuring Jeff Beal: trumpet; Niki Haris and Carl Anderson: vocals
8 Gathering of the Tribes - featuring Brian Price: guitar
9 Sarah Song - vocalise
10 Emergence - solo piano


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The Path of Peace
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Visionsound Environmental Multimedia

Description:
Visionsound presents, The Path of Peace - a multimedia collaboration featuring the contemplative music of pianist, Ben Dowling and the visual artistry of painter, Mark Wagner - unfolding in fluid and evolving motion.

The Path of Peace runs counter to the fast pace of contemporary life at the same time it represents an important new phase in the evolution of multimedia as a peace-creating, environmental technology. Released on DualDisc, the work features 53 minutes of both CD audio - and on the flip side (DVD-Video) - an inspired fusion of "visual music," in all its surround-sound and wide-screen glory.

If ever there was an environment needing quiet, unhurried loveliness, The Path of Peace fits the bill perfectly.


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Spiritual Liberation Movie
The Best Selling book, "Spiritual Liberation" by Michael Bernard Beckwith is joined by a one-hour movie of the same name, produced by Elevate Films, Agape Media International and Beyond Words Publishing.

A look at a "day-in-the-life" of this important American mystic, the movie features an engrossing collection of Beckwith's words interspersed with discussions among high level thinkers of the day. Laced with themes written by Beckwith and wife, Rickie Byars Beckwith, the score was composed and orchestrated by Ben Dowling.

The film is expected to be released early in the first quarter of 2009, in concert with appearances by Beckwith on Larry King, Oprah and other important venues.

 
The Path of Peace PR
The Path of Peace - News Release
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Ester Nicholson Review
Soultracks.com review...
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Powershift Documentary - featured on PBS
Ben Dowling's musical score for "Powershift," featuring actress Cameron Diaz, is making the rounds on PBS.  
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