Raymond D. Bowman
Encyclopedia
Raymond DeArmond Bowman was an important American classical, jazz and ethnic (world) music critic, concert promoter and writer, based in Southern California. He was a survivor of the Pearl Harbor
attack on December 7, 1941 and was an early member of the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association.
He was born in Rockingham County, Virginia
but moved to Long Beach, California
with his family at the age of 3, As a child he became a prodigy violinist, encouraged by his mother who had a love of classical music.
His mother was Vesta Virginia Bowman, one of the founders of the Long Beach Symphony Society. His family survived the 1933 earthquake and his mother made soup for the neighborhood in the front yard of their Loma Avenue home, which was damaged. He attended and graduated from Wilson High School in Long Beach. He became very active in sports and set several records in track and field. He remained a lifelong sports fan, especially track, baseball and football.
He went on to Columbia University
in New York
, where he obtained degrees in literature and journalism. Returning home, he became a member of The California Junior Symphony Orchestra and appeared in the motion picture "They Shall Have Music" in 1939. (Note: Bowman appeared in some scenes in the movie, but wasn't sitting in the orchestra when it performed the synch-over in the movie, although he was in the actual orchestra that recorded the music).
He enlisted in the Army in late 1940 and was sent to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
. Ironically a few weeks later, he witnessed the attack by the Japanese on December 7, 1941 while stationed at the Army base. He was about to play a game of tennis when the attack began and quickly found himself firing a machine gun at the planes from a bunker wearing only his tennis outfit. During the war he worked in counter-intelligence in the South Pacific and rarely saw action for the rest of his enlistment because he was stationed on small outposts in the Pacific most of the time. His combined active and reserve enlistment lasted 17 years. He attained the rank of Master Sergeant.
He was Adjutant of the Hollywood American Legion
Post 43 during the 1950s and was active in veterans affairs. He was one of the original members of the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association
and signed the incorporation papers a year after it was formed in 1961.
He married the former Lita Santos who had 2 children from a previous marriage, Leslie and Christian. In 1962, she bore his son, Raymond D. Bowman, Jr.
In 1963, he opened an art gallery in Beverly Hills with his good friend Eric Mann. "The Bowman-Mann Gallery" was located on La Cienega Blvd. near Wilshire Blvd. Many famous artists give one-man shows there, including Mae Babitz, Edgar Payne, Cetone Starr and Innocenzo Daraio. That same year, Bowman teamed with dance legend Ruth St. Denis
to bring the first full-length Balinese Shadow Puppet play to the United States. The performance was held at her studio just north of the Hollywood Bowl
near Los Angeles
and lasted more than 8 hours.
He was a major concert presenter of classical and jazz music. He met countless musicians, conductors and composers over the years. He was also instrumental in bringing world ethnic music to the Los Angeles
area for the first time during the 1960s. For nearly 20 years he presented the "Monday Night Concert Series" at the Ice House in Pasadena. One of the most famous acts he presented was Lily Tomlin and her first record album was recorded on one of his nights. He also presented the San Francisco Mime Troupe, Ruth St. Denis, Lily Tomlin, George Greeley, Dennis Dreith
's Nova Jazz Ensemble, Rene Heredia and his Flamenco Show, the Aman Folk Ensemble, Devi Dja and many more.
He was a classical music critic for the South Bay Daily Breeze during the 1970s and was a fixture at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion
during the symphony and opera seasons. He knew most of the performers and members of the press for nearly 40 years in the Los Angeles arts scene. He adored long conversations with "intellectuals" and could engage in discussions with them on art, music or history until late in the night. In his later years he was listed in the Marquis Who's Who
social register.
He loved drives to scenic places and one drive he enjoyed was the cliffs above San Diego bay in Point Loma. He asked that when it was "his time", he be buried "high on a cliff overlooking Coronado and the bay". He died on November 30, 2001. His wish was granted and his burial site overlooks that magnificent view. At his funeral were members of the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association he had befriended over the years, who are mostly ex-Navy personnel. Ironically, an Army firing squad was unavailable to be at his funeral and at the last minute a U. S. Marine Corps firing squad graciously stepped in to perform the ceremonial duties. He was very proud of his military career and this would have pleased him greatly.
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
attack on December 7, 1941 and was an early member of the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association.
He was born in Rockingham County, Virginia
Rockingham County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 67,725 people, 25,355 households, and 18,889 families residing in the county. The population density was 80 people per square mile . There were 27,328 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...
but moved to Long Beach, California
Long Beach, California
Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
with his family at the age of 3, As a child he became a prodigy violinist, encouraged by his mother who had a love of classical music.
His mother was Vesta Virginia Bowman, one of the founders of the Long Beach Symphony Society. His family survived the 1933 earthquake and his mother made soup for the neighborhood in the front yard of their Loma Avenue home, which was damaged. He attended and graduated from Wilson High School in Long Beach. He became very active in sports and set several records in track and field. He remained a lifelong sports fan, especially track, baseball and football.
He went on to Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, where he obtained degrees in literature and journalism. Returning home, he became a member of The California Junior Symphony Orchestra and appeared in the motion picture "They Shall Have Music" in 1939. (Note: Bowman appeared in some scenes in the movie, but wasn't sitting in the orchestra when it performed the synch-over in the movie, although he was in the actual orchestra that recorded the music).
He enlisted in the Army in late 1940 and was sent to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
. Ironically a few weeks later, he witnessed the attack by the Japanese on December 7, 1941 while stationed at the Army base. He was about to play a game of tennis when the attack began and quickly found himself firing a machine gun at the planes from a bunker wearing only his tennis outfit. During the war he worked in counter-intelligence in the South Pacific and rarely saw action for the rest of his enlistment because he was stationed on small outposts in the Pacific most of the time. His combined active and reserve enlistment lasted 17 years. He attained the rank of Master Sergeant.
He was Adjutant of the Hollywood American Legion
American Legion
The American Legion is a mutual-aid organization of veterans of the United States armed forces chartered by the United States Congress. It was founded to benefit those veterans who served during a wartime period as defined by Congress...
Post 43 during the 1950s and was active in veterans affairs. He was one of the original members of the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association
Pearl Harbor Survivors Association
The Pearl Harbor Survivors Association, founded in 1958 and recognized by the United States Congress in 1985, is an organization whose members were at or in the vicinity of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii during the Japanese attack of December 7, 1941....
and signed the incorporation papers a year after it was formed in 1961.
He married the former Lita Santos who had 2 children from a previous marriage, Leslie and Christian. In 1962, she bore his son, Raymond D. Bowman, Jr.
In 1963, he opened an art gallery in Beverly Hills with his good friend Eric Mann. "The Bowman-Mann Gallery" was located on La Cienega Blvd. near Wilshire Blvd. Many famous artists give one-man shows there, including Mae Babitz, Edgar Payne, Cetone Starr and Innocenzo Daraio. That same year, Bowman teamed with dance legend Ruth St. Denis
Ruth St. Denis
Ruth St. Denis was an early modern dance pioneer.-Biography:Ruth St. Denis founded Adelphi University's dance program in 1938 which was one of the first dance departments in an American university...
to bring the first full-length Balinese Shadow Puppet play to the United States. The performance was held at her studio just north of the Hollywood Bowl
Hollywood Bowl
The Hollywood Bowl is a modern amphitheater in the Hollywood area of Los Angeles, California, United States that is used primarily for music performances...
near Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
and lasted more than 8 hours.
He was a major concert presenter of classical and jazz music. He met countless musicians, conductors and composers over the years. He was also instrumental in bringing world ethnic music to the Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
area for the first time during the 1960s. For nearly 20 years he presented the "Monday Night Concert Series" at the Ice House in Pasadena. One of the most famous acts he presented was Lily Tomlin and her first record album was recorded on one of his nights. He also presented the San Francisco Mime Troupe, Ruth St. Denis, Lily Tomlin, George Greeley, Dennis Dreith
Dennis Dreith
Dennis Dreith is a motion picture music composer, arranger, and conductor. He is also known as an influential advocate for studio musician's rights.-Life:...
's Nova Jazz Ensemble, Rene Heredia and his Flamenco Show, the Aman Folk Ensemble, Devi Dja and many more.
He was a classical music critic for the South Bay Daily Breeze during the 1970s and was a fixture at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion
Dorothy Chandler Pavilion
The Dorothy Chandler Pavilion is one of the halls in the Los Angeles Music Center . The Music Center's other halls include the Mark Taper Forum, Ahmanson Theatre, and Walt Disney Concert Hall.The Pavilion has 3,197 seats spread over four tiers, with chandeliers, wide curving stairways and rich décor...
during the symphony and opera seasons. He knew most of the performers and members of the press for nearly 40 years in the Los Angeles arts scene. He adored long conversations with "intellectuals" and could engage in discussions with them on art, music or history until late in the night. In his later years he was listed in the Marquis Who's Who
Marquis Who's Who
Marquis Who's Who, a subsidiary of News Communications, Inc., is the American publisher of a number of directories containing short biographies...
social register.
He loved drives to scenic places and one drive he enjoyed was the cliffs above San Diego bay in Point Loma. He asked that when it was "his time", he be buried "high on a cliff overlooking Coronado and the bay". He died on November 30, 2001. His wish was granted and his burial site overlooks that magnificent view. At his funeral were members of the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association he had befriended over the years, who are mostly ex-Navy personnel. Ironically, an Army firing squad was unavailable to be at his funeral and at the last minute a U. S. Marine Corps firing squad graciously stepped in to perform the ceremonial duties. He was very proud of his military career and this would have pleased him greatly.