Bowler attended the
University of Hartford, where he received a bachelor's degree in music in 1972. He played with
Roland Kirk from 1976–78, then with
Hugh Masekela (1980),
Joe Lee Wilson (1981),
Wynton Marsalis (1982–83),
Max Roach (1983),
Big Nick Nicholas (1983-85),
Slide Hampton,
Jon Faddis (1984–89), and
Ralph Peterson, Jr. (1987-1996). He played in a quintet with
Donald Harrison and
Terence Blanchard in 1984–85, touring in Europe with
Benny Golson. He recorded with
Carla White in 1988 and
Sal Salvador in 1989, and led a quartet called Pocket Jungle in 1991. From 1990 to 1997 he played in another group led by Donald Harrison and worked with
Jackie McLean in 1997–99. He and
Newman Taylor Baker played in a duo in 1997, and in 1998 he worked in the
Count Basie Orchestra. Bowler hosted
Jazz Adventures on WPKN radio in Bridgeport, Connecticut, and performed with
Artt Frank and Mike Armando from 1981–2011. In 2002 Bowler hosted the MJA Jazz & Blues Festival at Lake Grove, Long Island, New York. ==Discography==