Ralph Towner RIP

[Joe Bip]

Ralph Towner, 85, has died.

I'm a big fan of ECM Records, so I have many Towner albums, some of which I'll revisit today

Edited 6 hours ago by Joe Bip
factual correction

[Ed S]

Sad news. He has been among my favorites for since the 1970s.   I'll have to spin some of my Towner CDs as well.

[clifford_thornton]

Ah, too bad.

[kh1958]

That is terrible, such a wonderful acoustic guitarist. I saw him several times with Oregon, and twice in solo concerts, the last a few years ago at the Big Ears Festival.

[Jason Bivins]

RIP, sir.

[Hardbopjazz]

What a wonderful musician he was. RIP.

[Pim]

RIP

[gvopedz]

RIP, I still remember when I first heard Oregon's album Distant Hills.

[mikeweil]

R.I.P 

When I first heard him in 1972, on his ECM LP and with Oregon I was overwhelmed. That band was an Idol for all in the band in whicj I played at the time. A very important early influence. 

[felser]

RIP, loved and own much of his early work.  His sound was unmistakable.

[JSngry]

[sgcim]

So sad to hear about this. He could play the guitar AND the piano like Bill Evans, and then play the ECM stuff with Oregon, Paul Winter etc...

A friend of mine studied with him, and at one lesson RT said he had just done a solo concert at Carnegie Hall, and then he packed up his guitar, walked back to his apartment, and he was just teaching a lesson like nothing happened!

RIP, to one of the greats.

[Guy Berger]

RIP. A major voice

[Dub Modal]

RIP

I first heard him play on Duke Pearson's I Don't Care Who Knows It, then on several ECM releases. My favorite is the classic, Solstice. What a talent, indeed.