ULYSSES OWENS JR GENERATION Y BAND

Generation Y is a quintet comprised of the most dynamic young jazz musicians on the scene. This group is dedicated to moving the music forward, with a love of the jazz tradition. Ulysses Owens Jr., has been the driving force behind such great artists as Nicholas Payton, Christian McBride, Wynton Marsalis, Mulgrew Miller, Joey Alexander and many others. Through his relationship with these great bandleaders he learned of the legacy of Art Blakey and Betty Carter, both of whom were renowned for their own bands (which became educational institutions) and launched the careers of many of today’s paradigm-shifting musicians on the jazz scene.

In the past five years, Ulysses career has shifted from being a “young lion” to grooming the next generation of talent via his performance, production and educational career.  In the tradition of Blakey and Carter, Ulysses introduces “Generation Y”, paying it forward by selecting a new crop of a talent through his professorship at The Juilliard School as well as young musicians he has discovered. Generation Y is a dynamic group that conveys the power of the jazz tradition by showing that the future of the music is in good hands.