Duke Jazz Ensemble with Ulysses Owens Jr., percussion

Heralded as a "legitimate jazz triple threat" (Critical Jazz) who "take[s] a back seat to no one" (The New York Times), performer, producer and educator Ulysses Owens Jr. goes the limit in the jazz world and beyond. He has been named a Rising Star by DownBeat's Critics Poll for five years straight and 3rd Runner-Up in "Classic Drum" category by Modern Drummer Magazine's Readers Poll. He is a recipient of the 2013 ASCAP Plus Award, the 2014 Global Music Award and the 2015 Jazz at Lincoln Center Swing! Award. Claiming four successful albums of his own, Owens has also gained special attention for his performances on the GRAMMY award-winning albums "Dedicated to You" (Kurt Elling) and "The Good Feeling" (Christian McBride Big Band). He is a faculty member of the Jazz Studies Program at his alma mater, The Juilliard School, Visiting Artist in Residence at Utah State University, and Faculty Artist in Residence at Edward Waters College in Jacksonville, Florida. John Brown directs the Duke Jazz Ensemble.