Ulysses Owens Jr.

Ulysses Owens, Jr. blends the movement of the under-celebrated choreographer Ulysses Dove, selections from the James Joyce novel Ulysses, and his own compositions in a multi-disciplinary project that explores the melding of art forms inspired by the name “Ulysses.”

Multi-Grammy Award Winning drummer Ulysses Owens Jr. has performed with world-class musicians, including Patti Austin, Terence Blanchard, Russell Malone, Wynton Marsalis, Mulgrew Miller, Maceo Parker, and Dianne Reeves. In 2010 Owens received his first Grammy Award for his performance on Kurt Elling’s Dedicated To You, and in 2012 his second Grammy Award for Christian McBride’s Big Band Album The Good Feeling. His 2009 debut recording It’s Time For U featured several original compositions and arrangements. His second album,Unanimous, released in 2012 on European jazz label Criss Cross, features Christian McBride, Nicholas Payton, Jaleel Shaw, Mike Dease and Christian Sands, and has been hailed by critics and audiences alike as “...the best jazz album of 2012.” This year, Owens will produce three albums, one of which with the Alicia Olatuja, who was the featured Vocalist at the Re-Inauguration of President Barack Obama. Owens is the Co- Founding Artistic Director of Don’t Miss A Beat, his family’s non-profit organization. Don’t Miss A Beat’s core mission is to blend music and art with focus on academic achievement, civic engagement and to inspire and empower inner city students to strive for their dreams.