Ulysses Owens Jr. - A New Beat (2024) [Hi-Res]

Generation Y is a quintet comprised of the most dynamic young jazz musicians on the scene. This group is dedicated to moving the music forward with a love of the jazz tradition yet with a nod toward the future. Ulysses Owens Jr., has been the driving force behind such great artists as Nicholas Payton, Christian McBride, Wynton Marsalis, Mulgrew Miller, Joey Alexander and many others. Through his relationship with these great bandleaders, he learned about the legacy of Art Blakey and Betty Carter, both of whom were heralded for their own bands; (which became educational institutions) and launched the careers of many of today’s paradigm-shifting musicians on the jazz scene.

In the past five years, Ulysses career has shifted from being a “young lion” to taking on the role of grooming the next generation of talent via his performance, production, and educational career. In the tradition of Blakey and Carter, Ulysses introduces Generation Y, paying it forward by selecting a new crop of a talent through his professorship at The Juilliard School, as well as young musicians he has discovered throughout his varying educational positions nationally and globally. Generation Y is a dynamic group that conveys the power of the jazz tradition by showing that the future of the music is in good hands.

This album hosts repertoire that has been performed by this band globally over the last 4 years on tour in tribute to Mulgrew Miller, Roy Hargrove, Jackie McLean, George Cables, Wayne Shorter, Art Blakey, Donald Brown and many others. This album was also recorded at the Legendary Rudy Van Gelder Studios in Englewood, NJ which was the headquarters for many great jazz musicians who recorded albums on the Blue Note, Prestige, and Impulse record labels. Many of these records inspired the sound and concept of this Ulysses Owens Jr. Generation Y Band.

Ulysses Owens - drums
Sarah Hanahan - alto saxophone (1 - 7)
Erena Terakubo - alto saxophone (8)
Benny Benack III - trumpet (1, 3, 6, 7)
Anthony Hervey - trumpet (2, 4, 5, 8)
Luther Allison -piano (1, 3, 4, 5, 7)
Tyler Bullock - piano (2, 9)
Philip Norris - bass (1-7)
Ryoma Takenaga bass (8)
Milton Suggs - voice (6)