Unmei

The youth just keep coming on strong. this week I feature one of the most significant releases of 2006 led by Seattle's 23 year old trumpeter and composer brian owens. the release is titled 'unmei' and brings eight compositions that mark the beginning of a career to watch. 'unmei' this week's destined featured album on radioioJAZZ.

Starting at trumpet in middle school and proceeding through his college days at Central Washington University, Brian played in symphony orchestras, big bands, and small clubs... taking a job with Carnival Cruise lines to strenghten his playing, he soon became musical director leading the show band as well as six other bands on the ship. all along he had his eyes on the goal of recording his own music. and thus describes the reason for the title 'Unmei'... the Japanese word for 'destiny'...

When returning to Seattle, Owens set up a budget and began to seek musicians to help him with his project. Brian choose pianist John Hansen and bassist Jon Hamar, mainstays of jazz in the Pacific Northwest. he broght tenor saxophonist Jay Thomas along and Thomas recommended drummer Phil Parisot. This made up the core sections along with Owens on trumpet. For the title track they invited alto saxophonist Steve Treseler and trombonist Nathan Vetter.

In the liner notes, Owens states that with the track 'Perkoosha' he uses what he calls the Pat Metheny form by starting with a 'simple building introduction, then go to aabac form, with different times for each section'. Brian does this well... owens arranges and performs the concepts with a straight quintet.. no synths.. so pads.. just raw music. the development of ideas through tension and release works. nice job Brian! .

There is much depth in these tracks. I have enjoyed listening to each develop around the chord structures and rhythm variety.. an excellent debut with the promise of more to come! it is Brian Owen's destiny...