Jimmy Owens (musician)

Jimmy Owens
Frank Wess and Jimmy Owens in 1977
Background information
Genres	Jazz
Occupation(s)	Musician, composer, arranger, lecturer
Instruments	Trumpet
Labels	Columbia
Associated acts	Ars Nova

Jimmy Owens (born 1943) is a jazz trumpeter, composer, arranger, lecturer, and educator. He has played with Lionel Hampton, Charles Mingus, Hank Crawford, Dizzy Gillespie, Count Basie, Herbie Mann, among many others. Since 1969, he has led his own group, Jimmy Owens Plus.

Jimmy Owens was born on December 9, 1943, in New York City, New York. He is a jazz trumpeter and, in addition, plays the flugelhorn. He is also a well-known composer, lecturer, arranger and music education consultant, harnessing more than 45 years of musical experience. Owens does not have an enormous amount of recordings as a leader; however, his popularity was instead nourished through session work with various groups and band leaders. His encounter with music encompasses a vast range of intercontinental musical success including ballets, movie scores, serving as a band leader and even creating orchestral compositions. He has performed with various jazz artists such as Max Roach, Duke Ellington, Charles Mingus, Kenny Barron, Count Basie, Benny Golson, Billy Taylor, Lionel Hampton, Hank Crawford and other well-known artists. All throughout his musical career, Owens demonstrated his understanding of the jazz concepts, but also illustrates a proficient comprehension of the blues style, and provided musically emotional atmospheres for ballads.

Owens began playing the trumpet at the age of fourteen under the tutelage of Donald Byrd and later studied music composition with Henry Brant. At the age of fifteen, Owens had the opportunity of sitting in with Miles Davis’ band; however, he did not record with them. In the late 1960s, he was a member of Marshall Brown’s Newport Youth Band. Owens graduated from The High School of Music & Art in New York City, and subsequently attended the University of Massachusetts where he obtained his master's degree in Education. In the 1960s, he was a member of the hybrid classical and rock band Ars Nova. After Ars Nova ended, he was a member of the New York Jazz Sextet. Among the members of this group at various times were Sir Roland Hanna, Ron Carter, Billy Cobham, Benny Golson, Hubert Laws, and Tom McIntosh. In addition, he has led his own group, Jimmy Owens Plus, since the 1970s, touring and playing in festivals and concerts all over the world. His performances with his band have taken him to Asia, South and Central America, the Middle East and various parts of Europe. In 1969 he helped found Collective Black Artist, a non-profit jazz education and performing organization in 1969. Between 1969 and 1972, Owens was a sideman on The David Frost Show whose musical director was Dr. Billy Taylor. Sidemen in this group included Frank Wess, Seldon Powell, Barry Galbraith, and Bob Cranshaw. Stepping into adulthood, Owens had already established a good reputation for himself that led him to the opportunities such as touring France with Duke Ellington.