When you think of the band Nirvana, it’s highly unlikely that the first thing which comes to mind is jazz. This is why it is all the more incredible that, when drummer Ulysses Owens Jr. and his band Generation Y uploaded a jazz cover of Nirvana’s ‘Heart-Shaped Box’ to YouTube, the cover exploded in popularity and went viral all over the world, having already received over seven million views to date on YouTube alone.
What is even more spectacular about this cover, however, is that the band came up with this new version virtually on the spot, hearing the song for the first time, then going on to produce an epic jazz cover in a matter of minutes. Even now, few can believe that this staple song of the grunge genre has been transformed into such a jaw-dropping jazz moment.
In fact, Music Man readers, this jazz version of ‘Heart-Shaped Box’ has been so well received that even hardcore Nirvana fans are saying how much they love it. “Dear YouTube. Why in the world would you not show me this earlier?! Fix your algorithm,” reads one of the video’s more humorous comments, whilst another simply says, “this should be a promotional video for a campaign titled ‘you thought you did not like jazz’ Incredible stuff.”
If you’re anything like me, after watching the video of this Nirvana jazz cover, you will be keenly searching for more YouTube content featuring Ulysses Owens Jr. and his talents. If this is indeed the case, you will definitely want to check out the video below, which shows Owens Jr. hearing Nirvana’s ‘In Bloom’ for the first time, and instantly coming up with an epic drum part of his own for the track!
Our favourite video on YouTube at the moment featuring Owens Jr., however, has to be the video that features him and Generation Y creating a jazz cover of Nirvana’s ‘Heart-Shaped Box’ in a matter of minutes. Not only does it show the extent of these musicians’ incredible talents, but it also shows that if a song is well written, it can be transformed into all sorts of different genres and still not lose its magic!
Ulysses Owens Jr. and Generation Y have redefined boundaries by transforming Nirvana’s grunge anthem into a captivating jazz sensation. The viral success of their cover of ‘Heart-Shaped Box’ is proof of their genius and innovation. For anyone who wants to explore more of this remarkable interpretation and other unique projects from Ulysses Owens Jr., you can find useful links below.