PREVIEW: Ulysses Owens Jr. and Generation Y come to Tanglewood Oct. 16 - The Berkshire Edge

Lenox — For three-time Grammy Award-winning drummer Ulysses Owens Jr., jazz is more than music. It is a means of connecting generations, confronting social injustice, and preserving cultural traditions. Those convictions inform his work with Generation Y, an ensemble of rising jazz musicians that reflects his belief in the power of mentorship and continual artistic growth. Owens returns to Tanglewood’s Linde Center for Music and Learning at 7 p.m. on October 16 with the group, whose album “A New Beat” represents what Owens calls “a new wave and dimension of my career.”

Owens is also a bandleader, composer, producer, and educator. Born in Orange Park, Fla., he began playing drums in church before studying jazz at Juilliard. Influenced by Art Blakey and Max Roach, Owens has performed with Christian McBride, Kurt Elling, and Wynton Marsalis. He founded Generation Y in 2019 to showcase emerging musicians, releasing “A New Beat” in 2024. His latest album, “Kind of Grunge,” released in August 2026, reimagines music by Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and other rock bands through jazz. Owens also teaches at Juilliard and The New School.