San Diego Reader

David Owen: Piano, Vocals

Genre: Jazz, Pop, Rock

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Related Links

• David Owen website

• Blurt: "The Pianist and the Porn Star" · Aug. 10, 2011

• Jam Session: "Red Fox Renegade" · May 27, 2011

Synoposis

Influences: Herbie Hancock, Billy Preston, Nat King Cole, Eddie Palmieri, Dr. John, Chopin, Gershwin. Greg Rolie, Quincy Jones

Background:

David Owen has performed with a series of variety, rock, jazz, and salsa bands, playing everything from solo piano to big band arrangements,

Based in City Heights, as of 2010 he’s also Musical Director for True Faith Missionary Baptist Church. “We play traditional and contemporary African American Gospel,” says Owen. “Good stuff!”

Owen has periodically performed at the piano bar at the Red Fox Lounge, a post manned for years by Shirley Allen until she died in 2006. “I was new in town and had no other gigs, and I knew a lot of old songs. I worked there five nights a week for a year before getting fired for pissing everybody off.”

He claims the Red Fox has fired him several times, once because “I lit up a joint in the place at one thirty in the morning.”

Owen graduated from UNM with a music degree in 2000. “I am a full-time keyboardist, for the most part, and doing quite well working with many great musicians here in San Diego. I do teach music.... I used to be a full-time math and science teacher, but my credential did not transfer to California.”

With a repertoire of over 800 songs, Owen says, “I haven’t tried to showcase original music yet. Arrangements, accompaniment, and solos are where my creativity is expressed on recordings and gigs. The gigs I’ve played will give an indication of styles: cruise ships, piano bars, restaurants, dance clubs, weddings, casinos, corporate gigs, variety bands, and churches of many denominations.”