Douglas Ewart


Douglas R. Ewart is a Jamaican multi-instrumentalist and instrument builder. He plays sopranino and alto saxophones, clarinets, bassoon, flute, bamboo flutes, and didgeridoo; as well as Rastafarian hand drums.
Ewart emigrated to the United States in June 1963 and became associated with the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians in 1967, studying with Joseph Jarman and Roscoe Mitchell. He served as that organization's president from 1979 to 1986.
He has performed or recorded with J. D. Parran, Muhal Richard Abrams, Art Ensemble of Chicago, Anthony Braxton, Alvin Curran, Anthony Davis, Robert Dick, Von Freeman, Joseph Jarman, Amina Claudine Myers, Roscoe Mitchell, James Newton, Rufus Reid, Wadada Leo Smith, Cecil Taylor, Richard Teitelbaum, Henry Threadgill, Hamid Drake, Don Byron, Malachi Favors Maghostut, and George Lewis.
In 1992, Ewart collaborated with Canadian artist Stan Douglas on the video installation Hors-champs which was featured at documenta 9 in Kassel, Germany. The installation features Ewart in an improvisation of Albert Ayler's "Spirits Rejoice" with musicians George Lewis, Kent Carter and Oliver Johnson.
He has lived in Minneapolis, Minnesota since 1990. His father, Tom, was a cricket umpire.

Discography

As leader

  • Douglas R. Ewart and Inventions Clarinet Choir: Red Hills
  • Douglas R. Ewart and Inventions: Bamboo Forest
  • Douglas R. Ewart: Bamboo Meditations At Banff
  • Douglas R. Ewart and Inventions Clarinet Choir: Angles of Entrance
  • Douglas R. Ewart and Inventions Clarinet Choir: Newbeings
  • Douglas R. Ewart: Songs Of Sunlife - Inside The Didjeridu
  • Douglas R. Ewart and Inventions: Velvet Fire: Dedicated to Baba Fred Anderson
  • Nyahbingi Drum Choir: ''Velvet Drum Meditations''

As Collaborator

With Muhal Richard AbramsLifea Blinec
With Spencer Barefield and Tani TabbalBeneath Detroit- The Creative Arts Collective Concerts At The Detroit Institute Of Arts 1979-1992
With Anthony BraxtonFor Trio
With Jean-Luc Cappozzo, Joëlle Léandre, Bernard Santacruz, Michael ZerangSonic Communion
With Chico FreemanMorning Prayer
With Dennis GonzálezNamesake
With Yusef Lateef, Roscoe Mitchell, Adam RudolphVoice Prints
With George LewisShadowgraph Homage to Charles Parker Jila Save! Mon. - The Imaginary Suite Chicago Slow Dance
With Roscoe MitchellL-R-G / The Maze / S II Examples Sketches from Bamboo
With Wadada Leo SmithBudding of a Rose
With Henry Threadgill