Owen opens up the music to the rafters...as yearning becomes these tremendous bursts of dynamic drama, form, and splendor.
Pianist/composer/arranger Chuck Owen's multiple Grammy nominations over the last two decades honored his instrumental Jazz Surge Big Band's achievements. Here, through lyrics he's written for several of his compositions—all beautifully interpreted by Kate McGarry—Owen more directly reveals his music's intent. His genre-defying sextet of creative improvisers move freely through his expansive compositions—from urban funk to folk music, swing to contemporary classical—in a manner that is not self-conscious but assured, heartfelt, and deeply musical. With Sara Caswell's lyrical, sometimes haunting violin, paired with Corey Christiansen's blues-drenched guitars or Jack Wilkins' expansive sax performance, the group deftly embraces the sonic groundwork of drummers Danny Gottlieb and Matt Wilson along with bassist Mark Neuenschwander and Owen on piano and keys.
"Like water, Owen's music will go everywhere it can: his colors are amazingly diverse."
New York Music Daily
1 Spinning Wheel 5:41
2 Can't Remember Why 8:41
3 . . . And Your Point Is?? 9:37
4 Omaha 6:52
5 Apalachicola 10:52
6 We Rise 6:34
7 What Once Was Lost 10:01
8 Magic Light 5:30
All lyrics and music comp. & arr. by Chuck Owen (ASCAP)
except (1) comp. by David Clayton-Thomas
ReSurgence is:
Kate McGarry - vocals (1,2,4,6,8)
Sara Caswell - violin
Jack Wilkins - saxophones
Corey Christiansen - guitars
Chuck Owen - piano, keyboard, accordion, hammered dulcimer
Mark Neuenschwander - bass
Danny Gottlieb - drums (1,2,4,6,8)
Matt Wilson - drums (3,5,7)
Produced by Chuck Owen
Recorded & mixed by Jim Morris & Tom Morris
at Morrisound Studios, Tampa, FL
Recorded on Aug. 28-29, 2019, & Jan. 9-10, 2023
Additional mix assistance: Keith Ganz
Mastered by Jim Morris
at Morrisound Studios, Tampa, FL
Cover photo by Ken Cheung
Cover design & layout by John Bishop