James Edward Rowser (April 18, 1926 in Philadelphia – June 24, 2004 in Teaneck)[1] was an American jazz double-bassist.
Born in Philadelphia in 1926, Rowser learned to play piano and bass as a youth. He played with the house band at Philadelphia's Blue Note club, accompanying touring musicians such as Charlie Parker, Sonny Clark, Hank Mobley, Kenny Dorham, Art Taylor, Cannonball Adderley, Miles Davis, Billie Holiday, J.J. Johnson, Anita O'Day and Kai Winding.
In the late 1950s, Rowser played with Dinah Washington, Maynard Ferguson, Lee Morgan, and Red Garland. He was active in New York in the early 1960s with Junior Mance, Ray Bryant, Herb Ellis, and Illinois Jacquet, and toured internationally with Benny Goodman and Friedrich Gulda in 1963–1964. Later in the 1960s, Rowser worked with Al Cohn and Zoot Sims and then with Les McCann; he remained with McCann well into the 1970s. In the 1980s, Rowser played with Bryant once more and also with Hilton Ruiz.
Rowser returned to school in the 1980s, receiving a bachelor's and master's from Lehman College, and then taught music in New Jersey in the 1990s.
With Ray Bryant
With Maynard Ferguson
With Red Garland
With Les McCann
With others