Home » Jazz Articles » Charles Owens
Jazz Articles about Charles Owens
Charles Owens Trio: Here It Is
by Ken Hohman
Saxophonist Charles Owens is getting his second or even third wind these days and for those who follow him it is a pleasure to experience. An internationally-acclaimed tenor saxophonist, pianist, composer, bandleader and educator whose creative journey spans over 35 years, Owens plays a vital role in the thriving music scene in Richmond and Charlottesville, Virginia, while maintaining deep ties to New York by performing regularly at Smalls, the venerable subterranean venue where he first honed his chops.
Continue ReadingRex Richardson: Elegy
by Ken Hohman
Grief is often complex and multi-faceted. How we cope with it reflects as much about those we have lost as it does about ourselves. This is a reality that trumpet master Rex Richardson knows all too well, having lost his father in 2023. Elegy is Richardson's poignant tribute to his father, yet the eight songs offer a variety of personal tributes that explore the complexity of living through bereavement in unexpected ways with moods both somber and bright. ...
Continue ReadingCharles Owens Trio: '10 Years' Track by Track
by Russell Perry
For a decade, tenor saxophonist, composer, bandleader and educator Charles Owens has been leading a trio with bassist Andrew Randazzo and drummer Devonne Harris (aka DJ Harrison). The Charles Owens Trio has celebrated this tenure with a new release, 10 Years. Chris Pearson in the Times of London wrote in his review, “The first thing you notice about Charles Owens is the tone. The American tenor saxophonist is a player of irresistible warmth." Indeed. We visit with Charles Owens and ...
Continue ReadingCharles Owens Trio: A Day With Us
by David A. Orthmann
Even when factoring in the vital contributions of bassist Andrew Randazzo and drummer Devonne Harris, there's no denying Charles Owens' firm hold on the nine tracks of A Day With Us. Throughout a program consisting largely of standards, the music is ruled by the broad, resonant sound of the leader's tenor saxophone and the dogged persistence that characterizes everything he plays. As if building something momentous on the spur of the moment with his wits and the force of his ...
Continue ReadingCharles Owens Quartet: New York, NY, November 18, 2012
by David A. Orthmann
Charles Owens QuartetSmalls Jazz ClubNew York, NYNovember 18, 2012In 1994, Charles Owens, then a student at the New School, talked then-owner Mitch Borden into letting him run the Sunday afternoon jam session at Smalls, a fledgling basement club that had rapidly become an important incubator of young talent. The tenor saxophonist eventually earned the coveted Friday night slot, and held it for some seven years before recording Charles Owens Quartet, Live at Smalls Vol. 1 ...
Continue Reading
