02.10.24

Anchoring the University of No. Carolina / Wilmington’s annual jazz fest, March 22 & 23, the band will also sneak in a performance at the Sharp-Nine Jazz Club in Durham, NC on the 24th.

12.01.23

Assembling in Cleveland, OIH on Oct. 31st, ReSurgence traveled over 1,400 miles, performing and offering workshops at 6 universities and 4 jazz clubs, before capping their tour with two sets at Noce in Des Moines 11 days later. The tour was supported by a generous grant from the John Stites Jazz Foundation.

“Renderings” – Chuck’s anticipated first album with the WDR Big Band was released by Summit/MAMA in July of 2023!  The project, interrupted and delayed by Covid, was recorded in two separate sessions in July of 2019 & May 2021 and shines a spotlight on Chuck’s highly creative approach to original arrangements. Sara Caswell, violinist from the Surge, is featured as a guest soloist on a couple of the charts.

Chuck joined NEA Jazz Master, Terri Lyne Carrington and the WDR Big Band for a series of concerts and recording in Germany. He arranged and conducted all the works which also featured vocalist, Melanie Charles. Concert video currently available for viewing: https://fb.watch/kfzq6xCVcA/ Although there is no projected release date, an album was also recorded. Stay tuned!!

On Sept. 17^th, the Jazz Surge released it’s 7^th album in tandem with celebrating its 25^th anniversary.  Recorded in May of 2021 while just emerging from the isolation of Covid, “Within Us” (Summit/MAMA Records) has been greeted with wide-spread accolades:

“It kills—brimming with a vivid array of colors (including violin and dobro) and shifting dynamics. . . . .  at once challenging and eminently listenable, . . . .a seamless stream of grabby melodies and solos.”  Eric Snider, Creative Loafing

“Chuck Owen is a master in delineating rhythmically and timbrically compelling arrangements, where the orchestral dynamics leave continuous spaces for the relationship with the soloists.” Angelo Leonardi, All About Jazz, Italia

“Nothing, not even a pandemic that silenced and stupefied most artists into submission, could tamp down Owen and his ensemble’s cinematic majesty.  If you listen closely, you can hear Chuck Owen’s heart and soul.” Carol Banks Weber, Festival Peak

“If you love big bands then this is for you. If you don’t love big bands then this is even more so for you.” Lance, Be-bop Spoken Here

“The gold standard for their silver anniversary.” George Harris, Jazz Weekly

“Within Us” is a gem.”  Richard Kamins, Step Tempest

“Owen is revealed as one who well versed in both jazz and classical modes producing music of considerable finesse, rich in detail and harmonic sophistication, at turns powerfully exultant, sharp, incisive and evocatively elegiac in both the articulation of his themes and in support of the soloists. . . . . . . an heir to Ellington and Gil Evans.”   Euan Dixon, Jazz Views