Ulysses Owens Jr.
BAND: Christian McBride/Ted Nash
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Multiple Grammy Award winning drummer Ulysses is a native of Jacksonville, Florida and a 2006 graduate of The Juilliard School with a Bachelors of Music degree with a concentration in Jazz Studies. He has performed with many world-class musicians such as Terence Blanchard, Benny Golson, Russell Malone, Mulgrew Miller, Maceo Parker, Nicholas Payton Dianne Reeves, Patti Austin and many others. He is currently the drummer for Grammy Winning Artists Kurt Elling, Christian McBride, Nnenna Freelon, and Ted Nash. Ulysses was also very fortunate to receive 2010 Grammy Award for his performance on Kurt Elling’s “Dedicated To You”, and a 2012 Grammy Award for Christian McBride’s Big Band Album “The Good Feeling”. He has toured extensively internationally 7 of the 8 continents of the world. He is an educator and serves as Artistic Director for his family’s 501 (c) 3 organization Don’t Miss A Beat Inc, in which they encourage inner –city students in Jacksonville Florida about the arts to empower them for new possibilities in life. Ulysses exclusively plays and endorses Gretsch Drums, LP Percussionist, Gibraltar Hardware, Craviotto Snare Drums, Zildjian Cymbals, Remo Drumheads, Regal Tip Drumsticks, Avid Technology (Sibelius, M-Audio, ProTools) DG Cajons, and Earthworks HD Microphones. In 2009 he released his debut album “It’s Time For U, featuring some of his first compositions and arrangements. He has just released his sophomore project for the European Jazz label Criss Cross, featuring Christian McBride, Nicholas Payton, Jaleel Shaw, Mike Dease and Christian Sands, and had two sold out shows with his band the week of his CD release at Jazz At Lincoln Center’s Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola, on February 13th, 2012. As a producer Ulysses has within his 3rd year of production already produced three amazing albums for 3 emerging artists, Jeremiah Abiah, Matthew Rybicki, and Mike Cottone. All three have already been released this and are receiving rave reviews have maintained strong positions on the Jazz Charts. He has five new albums slated for production this year in which he will be producing five emerging vocalists and by Spring 2013 will be released and distributed nationally. Ulysses feels incredibly blessed to be chosen not only to compose music, but also to perform and educate others of this wonderful creation. Hoping to continue with his philosophy of “Give the gift of music, receive the gift of life
