The arrangement was tender, almost aching, and it carried so much nostalgia that you could feel the whole room go quiet. It was the kind of song that makes your chest hurt in the best way, reminding you of being younger and feeling way too many feelings for the first time.
Owen Chen is a New York-based guitarist and bandleader, known as a versatile voice blending genres across jazz, cinematic soundscapes, and pop.
Classical trained on the violin from the age of five, he grew up in the symphonic orchestra world before discovering jazz in his high school big band in San Diego, California. Owen holds a Master's in Jazz Performance from NYU, studying under contemporary leading figures in jazz guitar, including John Scofield, Peter Bernstein, and Adam Rogers, and other notable mentors such as Chris Potter, Ari Hoenig, amongst others. He also holds a Bachelors degree from UC Berkeley, studying with Bay Area mentors such as Dann Zinn, Steve Erquiaga, Frank Martin, and Ted Moore.
Chen leads Eternal Wind, a collective of like-minded musicians that share the desire to blend childhood influences of cinematic soundtracks with the rich history of jazz, to reinterpret nostalgic memories of the past with a newer voice and to share with a new generation of jazz-listeners. Eternal Wind's debut album, The Ghibli Collection, is set to release in 2026 on OA2 Records, expanding on the original concepts in Chen's original compositions in the self-released EP titled Eternal in May 2022. In New York City, Owen leads ensembles regularly in residences at The Red Pavilion, and appears regularly in other NYC venues across multiple genres, such as Bar Next Door, Joe's Pub, 54 Below, Laissez Faire, Le Poisson Rouge and more, while continually expanding Eternal Wind's repertoire and reach.
For more information about Owen Chen, please visit: https://owenchenmusic.com/.
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