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Ulysses Owens, Jr. and Generation Y: A New Beat

By Jack Bowers
March 19, 2024
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Ulysses Owens, Jr. and Generation Y: A New Beat

The rhythms presented on award-winning drummer

Ulysses Owens, Jr.

drums
b.1982

" data-original-title="" title="">Ulysses Owens, Jr.'s latest album are not exactly A New Beat, as they have been heard in various configurations for at least eighty years or more, but they do provide a plausible indication of the path that

Art Blakey

drums
1919 - 1990

" data-original-title="" title="">Art Blakey's legendary Jazz Messengers would presumably have followed had Blakey lived into the twenty-first century.

Owens, who teaches at the Juilliard School in New York City, has a knack for spotting and encouraging sharp young musicians, a skill he has put to good use in assembling Generation Y, an admirable quintet whose front-line and rhythm section house budding talents whose names may one day be far more widely known and appreciated. For the record, those names include alto saxophonists

Sarah Hanahan

saxophone, alto

" data-original-title="" title="">Sarah Hanahan and

Erena Terakubo

saxophone, alto

" data-original-title="" title="">Erena Terakubo ("Chicken an' Dumplings" only), trumpeters

Benny Benack III

trumpet and vocals

" data-original-title="" title="">Benny Benack III and

Anthony Hervey

trumpet
b.1996

" data-original-title="" title="">Anthony Hervey, pianists

Luther Allison

piano
b.1939

" data-original-title="" title="">Luther Allison and

Tyler Bullock

piano

" data-original-title="" title="">Tyler Bullock, bassists

Philip Norris

bass

" data-original-title="" title="">Philip Norris and

Ryoma Takenaga

bass

" data-original-title="" title="">Ryoma Takenaga ("Chicken an' Dumplings"). Vocalist

Milton Suggs

vocals

" data-original-title="" title="">Milton Suggs is added on Louis Armstrong's idealistic "Heart Full of Rhythm."

Doubling as composers, Hervey wrote the funky "Better Days," Benack the picturesque "London Towne," Allison the tender ballad "Until I See You Again." Opening with

Cannonball Adderley

saxophone
1928 - 1975

" data-original-title="" title="">Cannonball Adderley's spirited "Sticks," the menu also includes

Roy Hargrove

trumpet
1969 - 2018

" data-original-title="" title="">Roy Hargrove's aptly named "Soulful,"

Jackie McLean

saxophone, alto
1932 - 2006

" data-original-title="" title="">Jackie McLean's frenetic "Bird Lives" and

George Cables

piano
b.1944

" data-original-title="" title="">George Cables' charming "Helen's Song." The funky and evocative "Chicken an' Dumplings" is listed as a bonus track, increasing the playing time to just over an hour. Although the album was recorded at the Van Gelder Studio in New Jersey, an audience that expresses its appreciation at the close of each number is present for most of them.

Owens solos only on "Bird Lives," leaving those duties largely to his proteges, who are for the most part respectable—even though "Bird Lives" presents quite the challenge for Hanahan and Benack. Terakubo, Hervey and Bullock are splendid on "Chicken an' Dumplings," one of the session's highlights. In sum, a generally pleasing debut by a group of talented young musicians whose star is clearly on the rise.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

Sticks; Better Days; London Towne; Until I See You Again; Soulful; Heart Full Of Rhythm; Bird Lives; Helen's Song.

Personnel

Ulysses Owens, Jr.

drums

Ulysses Owens

drums

Sarah Hanahan

saxophone, alto

Erena Terakubo

saxophone, alto

Benny Benack III

trumpet and vocals

Anthony Hervey

trumpet

Tyler Bullock

piano

Philip Norris

bass

Milton Suggs

vocals

Luther Allison

piano

Ryoma Takenaga

bass

Album information

Title: A New Beat | Year Released: 2024 | Record Label: Cellar Music Group

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Ulysses Owens, Jr. Concerts

Mar 6 Fri

Ulysses Owens Jr. and Michael Olatuja

The Appel Room
New York, NY

Mar 7 Sat

Ulysses Owens Jr. and Michael Olatuja

The Appel Room
New York, NY

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