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 Sunday at 04:45 PM 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. 

 

 

[Milestones]

R.I.P. to a master.

I particularly liked his duo sessions, such as those with Gary Burton and John Abercrombie.  

 

[BFrank]

RIP for sure!

I last saw him do a solo performance at Big Ears 2019. One of the best shows of the weekend.

[Gheorghe]

I have read that he had also connections to Viena since he had studied classical guitar there. 
I saw his group Oregon once.....well that was a festival with big names like Herbie Hancock, Blakey, Diz, Jackie McLean (I dug him most of course !) and well.....the Oregon music was not exactly my can, but it had great moments that I dug.