Rock-n-soul with Bernard Fowler

American Visions, Oct-Nov, 1998 by Maria Katrien Heslin

When Bernard Fowler enters a room, everybody notices. Thick masses of dreadlocks fall down his broad back; black boots lift him well above his unshod height of 6 feet 2 inches. A pair of dark shades obstructs the view of his handsome face. When observing his attitude -- all cool nonchalance, a half-smoked cigarette dangling from one hand -- you might not recognize who he is, but you can bet that he is somebody.

And he is.

While touring with Herbie Hancock in 1985, Fowler was hired to sing background on Mick Jagger's first solo album, She's the Boss (Atlantic). This was the start of a long musical collaboration, with Fowler's vocals backing up Jagger and "the world's greatest rock `n' roll band," the Rolling Stones.

When the Stones launched their Steel Wheels/Urban Jungle World Tour in 1989, Fowler was tapped both to record and to tour with the group. He performed with the rockers on two subsequent tours and on several recordings. He also contributed to solo projects of guitarists Keith Richards and Ron Wood.

In 1992, Stones drummer Charlie Watts and his quintet released A Tribute to Charlie Parker (Continuum Records), with Fowler providing narration and vocals. And when Watts recorded a collection of jazz standards, Long Ago and Far Away (EMI/Point Blank), in 1996, Fowler was the featured lead vocalist.

"I had never sung standards before," says Fowler, "And to sing them with a jazz quintet and a 25-piece orchestra has got to be the ultimate. There's nothing like it."

Jagger was impressed with Fowler from the very beginning. After hearing the first takes, he knew that Fowler's sound was a good fit. "Bernard had a lot of different styles down," says Jagger, whose own musical influences include both reggae and the blues. "He wasn't one of those singers who just does or likes one kind of thing; he was very broad in his tastes.

"He is also very strong and can sing for ages. He's got a lot of range and a lot of stamina vocally. You have to have that if you're going to do long nights and lots and lots of shows, all in the open air; He can easily keep up with me."

Fowler says that matching the Stones' legendary -- and daunting -- onstage energy was not as tough as keeping himself from becoming mesmerized. He recalls that during his first appearance with the band, he missed a few cues because he was so busy watching.

"I was in awe of all of them," he says in his smooth, sexy voice. "I was a fan. Although I was there, it sometimes felt like I was looking on from the audience. The awe comes back every now and then."

While growing up in the Queensbridge Projects of New York City, Fowler, now in his 30s, listened mostly to blues and soul radio stations. Yet, he says, the first record his father bought him was Twelve by Five (Abkco), by Rolling Stones.

He never envisioned himself becoming a singer. "I wanted to be a jock," Fowler says. "I played basketball all of my childhood years. A lot of my competition ended up playing pro. But I remember singing all of the time as a kid. I mimicked what I heard.

"We'd go to a relative's house, and my dad used to bribe me to do James Brown in front of family members. There could be some little kid there showing off, and my dad would say: `That ain't nothing. Come here, Bernie.' He'd give me a couple of quarters, and I'd jump down, split, scream, the whole 9 yards. It took a lot of quarters to get me out there. One quarter wasn't enough!"

Years later, Fowler's career began on a similar dare. One day, while street-corner singing with a few friends, he was invited by an onlooker to audition for his band. Fowler agreed, skipped the first two tryouts, and was told to forget it if he missed another. "I took that as a challenge," he says. "I went, auditioned, joined the band. A week later, I was in the studio, recording, just like that."

In the early 1980s, Fowler sang for the band Tackhead and for Peachboys, a popular, New York City dance band. When the Peachboys' a cappella release Life is Something Special became a hit, Fowler was suddenly being sampled almost as much as James Brown. Soon he was singing with artists as varied as Philip Glass, Sly and Robbie, Bootsy Collins, Herbie Hancock and Johnny Rotten.

Five years ago, Fowler launched his own band, Nicklebag, with esteemed guitarist Stevie Salas. The group's name, Fowler says, is not rooted in drug lingo, but was chosen because nickel is an alloy that mixes well with diverse elements.

Nicklebag's 1996 debut on Iguana Records, 12 Hits and a Bump, was critically acclaimed, as was Mas Feedback (Lizard Disks), the group's sophmore effort released earlier this year. Feedback features '60s-influenced funk infused with a '90s edge. Among those fleshing out the album with their support are former Funkadelic keyboardist Bernie Worrell, ex-Pearl Jam drummer Dave Abbruzzese, and Doug Wimbish, former bassist Living Colour.

Like Jagger, Salas says he took to Fowler instantly. "He's an amazing singer," says Salas. "With Nicklebag, in the beginning, I was pushing for Bernard to sing like a soul singer, and he was really pushing to sing like a hard rock singer because he could, and he wanted to show everybody that he could.