 |
| Bonnie Bowden at Gardens Of The World, Thousand Oaks, CA 2011 Photo by Benny Haddad, Westlake Magazine |
|
| Bonnie Bowden's big break came at an unlikely place: Disneyland. As she grabbed the microphone and the Tomorrowland rock band rose from its underground stage, her voice caught the attention of Brazilian pop star, Sergio Mendes. She quickly became the only American in Sergio's band. She traveled the world, sang solos with Sergio, became virtually fluent in Portuguese and even passed on some of her Portuguese prowess to Steve Wonder who wrote the song "Bird Of Beauty", one verse of which is in Sergio's native tongue. Stevie wanted to make sure he sang the lyrics precisely so he invited Bonnie to join him in the recording studio and help him perfect his pronunciation. The song came out beautifully and Bonnie's face beams as she remembers Wonder telling her how he loved her singing on Mendes' album "Love Music".
Eventually Bonnie branched out on her own, recording numerous albums and performing solo. With a voice both powerful and smooth, Bonnie has become a local favorite drawing a varied crowd with her shows that have as she puts it "something for everybody". And she can definitely sing almost anything in any language, from pop to classical to Broadway to jazz. Music legend Sammy Nestico, best known for his arrangements for the historic Count Basie Orchestra, will testify to that. One night while performing with the Frank Capp Juggernaut Big Band, Nestico loved Bonnie's singing so much that he passed on a special arrangement of "Indian Summer" that jazz icon Sarah Vaughn performed decades earlier. Bonnie’s upcoming holiday album will be out in December.
Lex Kumar, Westlake Magazine www.WestlakeMagazine.com
|
Bonnie Bowden is exceptional. Her dynamics, style and concept are terrific. I especially enjoy her interpretation of “Indian Summer”. Many vocalists can't help but get strident as they reach for the notes. She keeps a smooth and in control style that is perfect for that tune and that arrangement. I was surprised at her “playing first trumpet” with the band on “I Gotta Right To Sing the Blues” and “I Hadn’t Anyone Til You”...A great touch. Bonnie is a true winner!
Sammy Nestico, Composer/Arranger www.SammyNesticoMusic.com
The Miracle Springs Hotel in Desert Hot Springs came alive to the sounds of music and the thrilling voice of the internationally renowned Soprano Bonnie Bowden last Sunday, July 24th. Well-known Cabaret producer Irwin Rubinsky brought one of his star attractions to audiences of the west valley with a show called “Classical Meets Broadway”. The show featured the beautiful singing voice of Bonnie Bowden who blended opera, Broadway classics and standards with songs from motion pictures into a wonderful afternoon of first-rate cabaret entertainment. Bonnie paid tribute to the music of such diverse composers as Gershwin, Rodgers and Hammerstein, Puccini, Lloyd Weber, Sondheim, Schubert, and such singers as Barbra Streisand, Doris Day, and Andrea Bocelli, among others. Her repertoire included classic opera, Broadway show tunes from “Damn Yankees”, “A Little Night Music” and even a song from the Alfred Hitchcock movie “The Man Who Knew Too Much”, “Que Sera, Sera”. This song was performed as an interactive number where Bonnie moved through the audience soliciting singing participation from various audience members. Bowden’s show is a polished class act. Her singing style is smooth and confident and features a lovely lilting coloratura soprano. She sang in French, Italian, Latin and English to the delight of the more than one hundred guests who listened enraptured until the closing number and then erupted into a standing ovation, pleading for more.
Beautiful and gracious, entertainer Bonnie Bowden gladly attended a “meet and greet” moment with the audience members at a dessert and champagne gathering following her performance. It quickly became an autograph and picture-taking session for her old fans as well as new fans. It was a wonderful afternoon of top-rated talent performing in Desert Hot Springs, CA.
Jack Lyons, Theatre/Film Critic http://DesertLocalNews.com/archives/3683
Bonnie Bowden's "Music of the Night": Wonderful, She is pure class...a versatile angel of song. Dvorak/Mills: Such a sensitive yet powerful artist...Miss Bowden is breathtaking! "I love Being Here With You!": A-plus swingin'...we love being here with Bonnie!
Robert-Allan Arno, Biographer, The 5th Dimension, The Soul of The Voice Ltd., Voice-Actions NYC
In the rarefied realm of performing artists, one generally finds a niche where one's strength lies and explores options within that range. But for the lyric coloratura, that range is far and wide. As the performer who adds "color" and interpretive depth to a piece, the vocal acrobatics demanded are limited to her ability to capture the nuances and harmonic variances which most enhance the composition. The natural artist, one whose vocal range is a natural gift rather than a trained commodity, is a rare gem among gems. Her high notes float naturally as if pulled from the air itself. Her low notes are rich and soulful. Her name, in the Conejo Valley, is Bonnie Bowden.
Elaine Yamasaki, Westlake Magazine www.WestlakeMagazine.com
|
|
|