Ulysses Owens Jr. and Generation Y Headline 8th Annual Emerging Artist Festival at Vermont Jazz Center
This November, the Vermont Jazz Center’s 8th Annual Emerging Artist Festival welcomes three-time Grammy Award-winning drummer Ulysses Owens Jr. and his Generation Y Ensemble for a weekend of youth-driven jazz excellence. Held November 7–8 in Brattleboro, VT, the festival features free student showcases, a hands-on clinic, and a headlining concert with some of the finest young jazz artists in the country. Owens—a Juilliard professor and cultural leader—has performed with Christian McBride, Kurt Elling, and Wynton Marsalis. His Generation Y Ensemble follows in the tradition of Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, elevating rising stars like Anthony Hervey (trumpet), Langston Hughes II (sax), Liya Grigoryan (piano), and Guillermo Lopez (bass). Events include a Gallery Walk student showcase at 118 Elliot on Friday, a Saturday clinic and student performances at VJC, and the ticketed headliner concert Saturday night. All daytime events are free; concert tickets start at $25.