Publications

Heralded as a “powerhouse of a showman” (Glide Magazine) and a “legitimate jazz triple threat” (Critical Jazz), performer, author, and educator Ulysses Owens Jr. continues to push boundaries in the jazz world and beyond.

Ulysses’ writing journey began in October 2016, when he felt compelled to chronicle his touring experiences for his audience. Partnering with editor Geveryl Robinson, he began finding his voice through his blog, Words from U, which was initially published on his website. He later shared the blog across Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, reaching more than 40,000 monthly readers.

In November 2018, Ulysses was approached by DownBeat Magazine to write a “Masterclass” piece addressing what students need to know to succeed after college and how to design their own careers. The editors encouraged him to expand the article, resulting in two featured pieces: Designing Your Career: The Missing Link in Jazz Education. This marked his first published writing. During the height of the pandemic in June 2020, as musicians sought new strategies for navigating an uncertain economic landscape, JazzTimes Magazine invited Ulysses to write his second published article, Pandemic Entrepreneurship for Jazz Musicians.

Ulysses was later approached by Hal Leonard Publishing and invited to write a book on the art of brush playing for a new generation of drummers. In May 2020, he released Jazz Brushes for the Modern Drummer: An Essential Guide to the Art of Timekeeping, which has since received global acclaim and become a hallmark publication for students and jazz drumming enthusiasts alike.

His first book, The Career Guide for Musicians: Turning Your Talent into Sustained Success, was published by Skyhorse Publishing and distributed by Simon & Schuster on March 2, 2021. The book was listed among Amazon’s “Music Business” and “Music Entrepreneurship” titles to read in 2021, nominated for a Jazz Journalists Association Award, and is available at The Juilliard School Bookstore.

His third book, Jazz Big Band for the Modern Drummer: The Essential Guide to the Large Ensemble, published by Hal Leonard, was released in January 2024. Ulysses is also a regular contributing writer for WJCT Jacksonville Music Experience, DownBeat Magazine, JazzTimes Magazine, and Percussive Arts Journal, and serves as an op-ed contributor for the Florida Times-Union.

His fourth book, 30 Day Jazz, is a collaborative e-book created with Drumeo in support of his full-length course for a cohort of more than 5,000 students who enrolled in November 2024. The book includes daily exercises, listening examples, a playlist spanning 100 years of jazz drumming, and historical context to support students in developing a deeper understanding of the art form.

Ulysses’ passion for career development and creative entrepreneurship has taken him around the world as a lecturer at more than 50 universities, colleges, conferences, and conservatories, where he helps students identify their purpose and navigate the ever-changing entrepreneurial landscape of the 21st century.

This is an especially exciting moment in Ulysses’ writing journey, which began as a personal passion and means of expression. In addition to music, he reflects, “Writing is still the most comfortable tool I have to express myself, because the relationship between writing and music is deeply intertwined for me.”