Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Ulysses Owens, Jr. and Generation Y: A New Beat

17

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

By

Sign in to view read count
Ulysses Owens, Jr. and Generation Y: A New Beat
The rhythms presented on award-winning drummer 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'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 and Erena Terakubo ("Chicken an' Dumplings" only), trumpeters Benny Benack III and Anthony Hervey, pianists Luther Allison and Tyler Bullock, bassists Philip Norris and Ryoma Takenaga ("Chicken an' Dumplings"). Vocalist 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's spirited "Sticks," the menu also includes Roy Hargrove's aptly named "Soulful," Jackie McLean's frenetic "Bird Lives" and 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.

Track Listing

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

Personnel

Album information

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


Comments

Tags

Concerts


For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.

More

Slow Water
Stephan Crump
Contrafactus
Spike Wilner Trio
Psychedelic Rio
Vinicius Cantuaria

Popular

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.