CJ Young is a freelance musician and teacher in the NYC area. His playing experience is from a diverse array of musical situations including musicals, gospel bands, marching bands, professional drum lines, big bands, jazz groups, rock bands, and pop groups. He earned a Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies from Indiana University Jacobs School of Music - Bloomington. While at IU, CJ studied with master drummer Steve Houghton and jazz great David Baker.

His musical studies began at age nine with piano and continued in public school with the drums at age 11. At age 14 his father gifted him a guitar that he learned to play by ear. By 18 he had acquired a bass guitar to round out the instruments on which he currently performs and gives lessons.