Following an 8-year hiatus, Chuck has once again taken over the reins of the USF Jazz Ensemble for the 2013/14 academic year. In 2005, after serving in this role for 23 years, Chuck had stepped down to focus on the development of the USF Center for Jazz Composition as well as his own composition projects. With Prof. Tom Brantley similarly (and reluctantly!) deciding this past year he needed to focus his attention on his incredible trombone studio, Chuck has resumed stewardship of this talented and dynamic group! Keep your eyes open for upcoming concerts and guests.
Chuck Owen
Chuck Owen named as Director of the 2014 Association of Texas Small School Bands All-State Jazz Ensemble
Feb. 12-15, 2014 will find Chuck in San Antonio, TX working with an extremely talented group of young musicians as part of the Texas Music Educators Association conference. The public concert is scheduled for Sat., Feb 15 at 1:00 pm in the Gonzales Convention Center.
Bob Seymour, WUSF-FM, River Runs interview with Chuck
Bob Seymour. longtime Jazz Program Director at WUSF-FM, conducted an extensive interview with Chuck in celebration of the release of River Runs on “All Night Jazz” airing the entire Concerto in the process! The 1:40 minutes show has been posted in its entirety on the WUSF website.
River Runs nominated for 2 GRAMMYS!!
“An incredibly colorful portrait . . . . the voices of Jack Wilkins and LaRue Nickelson soaring throughout.”
Dave Liebman
“A tour de force in contemporary orchestral composition…
Rufus Reid
“Pure joyful sounds. Harmony that lives up to the word. Jazz has never sounded better.”
Bob Belden
“‘River Runs deep . . . .free-flowing into cross-currents, but always moving
forward towards it’s destination . . . . an Ocean of Melody, Sound and Soul.”
Randy Brecker
Composers Notes
There is little more conducive to an extended, free-flowing conversation than finding yourself floating leisurely down a sparkling river on a warm, sunny day. Nevertheless, I find one of the most desired attributes in a canoe or raft partner is the ability to sense intuitively when to maintain perfect silence and just let the sounds of the river speak for themselves. Wanting to accord the same respect to my listeners, I’m tempted to let “River Runs” simply speak for itself – knowing it will address each listener in a completely unique way and with much more eloquence than I am likely to muster here…..more
DL Media Press Release
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First three Surge CDs now available on I-Tunes
If you have yet to check out some of the Surge’s earlier recordings with such guests as: Nat Adderley, Benny Golson, John Abercrombie, Adam Nussbaum, Ingrid Jensen, Tim Hagans, and others; you can now purchase them as downloads on I-Tunes.
- Chuck Owen & the Jazz Surge (1996)
- Madcap (2001)
- Here We Are (2005)