Chuck Owen - Studio Sessions Conversations

Two concerts at New Tampa Performing Arts Center mark three decades since Chuck Owen formed the Jazz Surge, which has recorded seven albums along the way.



Composer and bandleader Chuck Owen will celebrate the 30th anniversary of his Jazz Surge with concerts on Sept. 25 and 26 at the New Tampa Performing Arts Center. The performances will highlight Owen’s compositions while embracing the spontaneity of live jazz.

Owen, who served as director of jazz studies at the University of South Florida for 40 years before his retirement in 2021, said he approaches music as a form of storytelling and hopes audiences will be open to the experience.

The performances will feature vocalists incorporated into the band in unusual ways, sometimes using wordless vocals to blend with the instrumental ensemble. Owen said the new approach reflects his continuing interest in experimentation and learning.

The guest lineup will change each night, with Randy Brecker performing Friday and Terri Lyne Carrington and Warren Wolf joining the band Saturday. The concerts will also feature a limited-edition double vinyl LP celebrating the Jazz Surge’s anniversary, with only 100 copies available exclusively at the shows.

In this conversation, Owen talks about the tour and how the band has lasted for this long.