Charles Owens was born on June 6, 1972, and raised in Alexandria, Virginia. While attending such music-based schools as the Duke Ellington School for the Arts, Miami's New World School of the Arts, and New York's New School Jazz Program, Owens became influenced by such tenor sax legends as John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins, and Wayne Shorter.

It wasn’t long before Charles Owens was leading his own group, holding down a weekly Friday night spot at the New York City nightspot Smalls, while also playing regularly at such other local clubs as Sweet Basil, Chicago Blues, The Blue Note, The Zinc Bar, and Birdland, among others.

Charles Owens’ growing reputation for powerful live performances and expressive recordings was such that, in 1999, he and his quartet released their first full-length album, Eternal Balance. The album marked the six-year anniversary of the band’s formation, with each track on the album showcasing the strength and instinct developed between the players during that time.