Career
He is active on both the New York and international jazz scene as a sideman and band leader. He has also been named a "rising star" in the Downbeat Critic"s Poll. He was the drummer on Kurt Elling"s Grammy-winning album Dedicated to You: Kurt Elling Sings the Music of Coltrane and Hartman, and also on Christian McBride"s Grammy-winning The Good Feeling.
His composition, The Simplicity of Life, was commissioned by the string quartet ETHEL for their multimedia show ETHEL"s Documerica, which is currently on a national tour.
Owens began playing the drums at the age of 2. He played many types of music in his younger years, centering on his experience in the church.
By the time he was in his early teens, he realized that he would become a jazz musician, and received a full scholarship to study at the Juilliard School, in its inaugural jazz program At Juilliard he began actively playing in the New York scene.
Notably, he has performed with both Kurt Elling and Christian McBride, the latter with whom he is currently touring.
He has recorded with many musicians and singers, and has released two full albums as a leader. "I saw so many arts programs for kids, especially in other cultures, and I thought we really need something like this back home." After hearing about Jacksonville"s high dropout rate and other problems with struggling youths, Owens and his family designed a program to help suspended youths stay in school.
