"A tour de force of elite composing, arranging and musicianship." Michael Ambrosino, Currents/33ThridJazz
"A big band at lavish full throttle." Chris Pearson, The Times (of London)
"Remarkable and enveloping. It's easily the finest big band album of the year thus far." Marc Myers, JazzWax
"A remarkable jazz album that showcases the artist's mastery as a composer, arranger and bandleader. . . .blending traditional elements with modern influences to create a unique and captivating sonic experience." Pierre Geroux, All About Jazz
"Outstanding. . . .simply world class!" Keith Black, Winnipeg Free Press
". . . insanely good!" JazzFilts, Gijs Ornee
". . . a joy and an inspiration, hands-down one of the top ten jazz albums of the year" delarue, NY Music Daily / Lucid Culture
" . . . Within Us is a gem." Richard Kamins, Step Tempest
"If you listen closely, you can hear Chuck Owen's heart and soul." Carol Banks Weber, Festival Peak
"It kills—brimming with a vivid array of colors. . . .a seamless stream of grabby melodies and solos." Eric Snider, Creative Loafing
". . . a set of compositions that are as personal, eclectic, and ambitious as anything that Owen has penned." Phillip Booth, Jazz Times
Chuck Owen – Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album
Chuck Owen – Best Instrumental Composition (Warped Cowboy)
Chuck Owen – Best Instrumental Arrangement (All Hat, No Saddle)
Sarah Caswell – Best Improvised Jazz Solo (Can’t Remember Why)
". . .creative, poetic. . . wildly personal . . . an adventure communing with a primal and mysterious America." Jeff Simon, Buffalo News
". . .a grand sweeping set. Killer stuff!" Chris Spector, Midwest Record Reviews
"He opens up the music to the rafters . . . as yearning becomes these tremendous bursts of dynamic drama, form, and splendor. Reality on a sizzling hot platter." Carol Banks Weber, Medium.com
". . . from straight-ahead to contemporary, form folk to funk . He is a painter with sound." Dee Dee McNeil, Musical Memoirs
". . an impressive melding of Montana and 52nd St." George Harris, Jazz Weekly
Chuck Owen – Best Instrumental Composition (Bound Away)
Chuck Owen – Best Instrumental Arrangement (Side Hikes – A Ridge Away)
". . a masterpiece of aural sounds; a dazzling array of prismatic colors and textures that envelop the listener in a splendidly evocative way." Ralph Miriello, Huffington Post
".. . . It's as if Owen has captured an entire ecosystem with it's messy, sometimes awe-inspiring, sometimes opaque, frequently frightening detail. Lake water, Owen's music will go everything it can. . . . imaginative, paradigm-shifting." Alan Young, NY Music Daily
". . a remarkable piece of work, full of contrast and specific tone-painting, integrating jazz and classical elements with a sure hand and greater respect for both than has sometimes been the case in such hybrids." Phillip Scott, Fanfare Magazine
". . sparkling orchestral writing with a mix of technical complexity and pop brightness that is irresistible, like a New Orleans gumbo of Stravinsky and funk." John Fleming, Tampa Bay Times
".. . an orchestrated work of art, taking the listener on a musical journey from tranquil to explosive. . . EPIC!!" World Jazz News
". . larger than life, spectacularly expanded and explosively played. A truly outstanding recording and collection of works deserving universal attention." Michael G Nastos, All Music Guide
". . . riotous and joyous." Scott Yanow, JazzTimes
"Excellent throughout. . . .Owen's rapturous setting of 'How Long 'til the Sun' rendered with the bold luster of an island sunset." DownBeat Magazine
"The Comet's Tail is incredible, fantastic, and a true masterpiece of music. There simply are not enough superlatives to describe it." Harry Schnipper, Blues Alley
"Throughout my 27 years at WBGO quite a few tribute records have come across my desk. 'Comet's Tail' is certainly on of the finest." Gary Walker, WBGO
". . . . . .an imaginatively conceived exploration of the landscape of large jazz ensemble music. Perhaps going that extra mile to demonstrate that cliché free ensemble writing enhanced by imaginative soloing by kindred spirits can produce an emotional entity that will thrill, excite, and expand your perception of the big band"...more Mainly big Bands (U.K.), Dec 2004
".. . . .ambitious, forward-thinking compositions." DownBeat, Phillip Booth, Jan 2002
"Owen knows all about hijinks, mayhem, and fun. Madcap consists of . . .knockouts." St. Petersburg Times, Gina Vivinetto, May 2001
"Owen never loses his lyrics sense . . . . it never stops swinging!" Mainly Big Bands, J.R. Killoch, Feb 2001
Chuck Owen & The Jazz Surge
One of the top 5 CDs of 1996!...Jazz Times, David Franklin
“Owen paints with intriguing hues . . . . refreshes with lyrical lines and hues . . . . (and) is suffused with some of the tastiest contemporary sounds around.”...Jazz Educators Journal, Herb Wong, Sept. 1996
Jazz Masterworks Series with Chick Corea
“One of the Top 5 Concerts (any genre) in Orlando in 2007. (Chick) Corea’s performance with the big band was a free-wheeling combination of the pianist’s fleet-fingered solos and the band’s mood and muscle.” ...Orlando Sentinel, Dec. 2007