Brian O’Neill: versatile percussionist, composer, bandleader
Cambridge, MA / New York, NY
347.482.1775
brian@crashandboom.com
crashandboom.com
Twitter: @orchestrotica
“…percussion master and musical polymath…” —Boston Phoenix
“Brian O'Neill isn't just a great musician, he's also a first-rate composer.”—Tony Sachs, Huffington Post
“…If John Zorn is an exotica Picasso, O'Neill is his Georges-Braque counterpart in cubism's transposition to music...and may be...a stronger exoticist than Zorn.…” —Gordon Marshall, AllAboutJazz
Recent Performance Highlights (as percussionist)
- Kennedy Center
- Klezwoods performed at Millenium Stage, November 2012.
- Montréal Jazz Festival
- Led and performed with Mr. Ho's Orchestrotica on main stage (2 shows), June 2012.
- Kristin Chenoweth's 2012 solo tour
- Boston Opera House, June 2012.
- World Premiere: Chris Vennel's "Losing the Shackles" (for percussion ensemble and percussion soloist)
- Guest artist (soloist) with Northern Arizona University Percussion Ensemble, April 2011.
- Donna Summer's Crayons Tour
- Gilford, NH and Boston, MA, July 2008.
- Boston Pops "WGBH Orchestra"
- Opening ceremonies of WGBH TV's new studios, 2007.
- Festival de México
- Led and performed with Mr. Ho's Orchestrotica at Mexico's most prestigious arts festival, April 2006. more...
- Hawaii International Jazz Festival
- Martin Denny tribute concert with WAITIKI and Gabe Baltazar of Stan Kenton Orchestra, 2005.
- Carnegie Hall, NYC
- Newton Symphony Orchestra, 2002.
- Concerto competition soloist appearances: Sun Cities Symphony of the West Valley (Sun City, AZ) & Northern Arizona University Orchestra (Flagstaff, AZ)
- Winner of the Jennings Butterfield Young Artist Competition and NAU Orchestra Competition with Ney Rosauro’s Concerto for Vibraphone and Orchestra. 1999.
Ensembles
Press for Mr. Ho's Orchestrotica
2012 Best World Music Act: “…a rigorous classical-jazz hybrid; are you listening Keith Lockhart?…” —Boston Phoenix
“…deliciously entertaining…” —Wall Street Journal
2011 Rising Star Big Band: “…incredible musicianship and artistic direction…” —Frank Alyer, DOWNBEAT
“…incredible precision and passion [at the Montreal Jazz Festival]…” —JazzIz
Jazz, world, chamber, eclectic, & pop
- Mr. Ho's Orchestrotica - The 22pc Esquivel big band (arranger, artistic director, percussionist, pianist. 2005-present)
- Mr. Ho's Orchestrotica - Global jazz quartet (composer, artistic director, vibraphonist. 2009-present)
- CORDIS: Modern chamber music/post-rock (piano, 2011-present)
- Bert Seager Quartet (jazz quartet) (2012-present)
- KAFANA: (Balkan-inspired jazz) (percussionist, 2009-present)
- Jeni Jol: (Balkan-inspired jazz) (percussionist, 2009-present)
- David Wax Museum (guest drummer & percussionist, 2009-present)
- Aljashu: (Sephardic music ensemble) (percussionist, 2009-present)
- Klezwoods (klezmer ensemble) (percussionist, 2009-present)
- Birdsong at Morning (percussionist, 2010)
- Fa Diyez Ensemble: (Ottoman Classical ensemble) (percussion, 2009-present)
- Choros Com Chocolate: (Brazilian choro ensemble) (pandeiro, 2009-2010)
- Newpoli: Southern Italian Folk Music (percussionist, 2009-2010)
- Juanito Pascual (flamenco guitarist) - occasional performances 2009 to present
- La Tuza: Mexican Roots Music (son jarocho, huasteco, calentano) (percussionist, vocalist, 2007-present)
- Jazz Factory Orchestra: vibraphone and drum set (occasional performances, 2008-present)
- Orchestra of This (progressive global jazz) led by Matthew Joy on guitars. (2007-2009)
- Gato Malo Orchestra: Drumset, organ, percussion in this NOLA-style RnB, soul, blues band. (2005-2008)
- WAITIKI: exotica quartet. Vibraphone & percussionist, composer. (2003-2007)
- Additional performances with Northern soul artists Archie Bell and the Drells, The Del-Larks, Laura Lee and jazz/latin artists Bert Seager, Peter Erskine, Wallace Roney, and others.
Orchestral percussion freelancing
- South Florida Symphony
- Boston Festival Orchestra (featuring members of the Boston Pops)
- Mercury Orchestra, Cambridge, MA
- Hillyer July 4th Festival Orchestra, Salem, MA
- Merrimack Valley Philharmonic Orchestra (North Andover, MA)
- Charles River Sinfonietta Orchestra (MA)
- Brahms Society Orchestra (Cambridge, MA)
- Concord Orchestra (Concord, MA)
- New Bedford Symphony (New Bedford, MA)
- Quincy Symphony (Quincy, MA)
- Cape Ann Symphony (Gloucester, MA)
- Newton Symphony (Newton, MA)
- Longy School of Opera (Cambridge, MA)
- New England Philharmonic (Boston, MA)
- Longwood Symphony (Boston, MA)
- Wellesley Symphony (Wellesley, MA)
- Melrose Symphony (Melrose, MA)
- Summer MIT Symphony Orchestra (Cambridge, MA): Eastern European tour, 1999
- Arizona Opera Ring Cycle Orchestra
- Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra
Musical Theater (drumset & percussion)
- Merrimack Valley Players (Methuen, MA): An Evening of Gershwin (Spring, 2008)
- Arlington Friends of the Drama (Arlington, MA): Carousel (April, 2007)
- Weston Friendly Society (Weston, MA): Annie (Winter, 2006)
- Maverick Productions, (Boston, MA): Company (2005)
- Footlight Club (Jamaica Plain, MA): A Very Carol Christmas (2003, 2004)
- Longwood Players (Boston, MA): Pippen (2002), and Cabaret (2003)
- Quannapowitt Players (Reading, MA): Cabaret (2003)
About The Unforgettable Sounds of Esquivel
“…4 stars…exquisite attention to details” —Sunday Times London
2 of the Top 10 Albums for 2011 —Huffington Post
Licensed for play in in 7,000 Starbucks worldwide
“…the perfect soundtrack for your space-age bachelor pad…” —WNYC
Discography
- Klezwoods: The 30th Meridian: From Cairo to St. Petersburg with Love (2012, independent)
- Mr. Ho's Orchestrotica: The Unforgettable Sounds of Esquivel (2010, independent)
- Mr. Ho's Orchestrotica: Third River Rangoon (2011, independent)
- David Wax Museum Everything Is Saved (2011, independent)
- Crazed Mugs Find Forbidden Island (2011, independent)
- Klezwoods: Oy Yea! (2010, Accurate Records)
- La Tuza: Son del Otro Lado (2009, Independent)
- WAITIKI: Rendezvous in Okonkuluku - 2007 (Independent)
- Paradise Lost and Found: Songs of Hawaii Old and New - 2007 (FMM-R-144)
- WAITIKI: Charred Mammal Flesh, Exotic Music for BBQ - 2005 (Independent)
TV & Radio Performances
- May 2011: Guest speaker and tambourine workshop on WUMB (Boston, MA)
- June 2010: Klezwoods live performance on WUMB (Boston, MA)
- April 2006: WAITIKI Orchestrotica’s performance for Festival de Mexico recorded and broadcasted on Canal 11 TV (Mexico City, Mexico)
- June 2005: Hawaii Jazz Festival promotion on KHON TV (Honolulu, HI)
- April 2005: WAITIKI performs on the Overnight Freeform Show on WYEP, 91.3FM (Pittsburgh, PA)
- February 2005: Gato Malo performs on Boston Emissions, WBCN, 104.1 FM
- May 2004: Leah Callahan group performs on Sunday Nights with Carmelita on Boston’s WAAF, 107.3
Recent Awards
- 2012 International Artist of the Year nominee (Boston Music Awards)
- 2012 Best World Music Act for Mr. Ho's Orchestrotica (Boston Phoenix annual readers' poll)
- 2011 Boston Music Award's Song of the Year, David Wax Museum's "Born With a Broken Heart" (recorded percussion)
Teaching & Masterclasses
- University of Massachusetts Lowell: master class: alternate percussion setups and live-performance micing (2012)
- New England Conservatory: World Rhythms class (2010)
- Somerville High School Drumline (2007,2008)
Electronics/Digital Music Production
- Regular performances on keyboard synths with CORDIS (2011-present)
- Occasional use of MIDI instruments, hardware synthesizers and soft-synths for composition (1991-present)
- Managed a MIDI-based music education lab for Phoenix, AZ-based Music Works Academy (1993-1995)
Earlier Performances (Arizona, 1995-1999)
Orchestral
- Sun Cities Symphony of the West Valley (Sun City, AZ): winner of the 1999 Jennings Butterfield Young Artist Competition with Ney Rosauro’s Concerto for Vibraphone and Orchestra, Spring 1999
- Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra (Flagstaff, AZ): principal percussion, 1997-1999; section percussion, 1995-1997
- Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra (Flagstaff, AZ): student representative for the Orchestra Committee, 1998-1999
- Flagstaff Festival of the Arts Orchestra (Flagstaff, AZ): section percussion, Summer 1997
- Man of La Mancha Pit Orchestra (Northern Arizona University Performing Arts Presentations, professional production in Flagstaff, AZ) percussion, May-Jun 1997
- Arizona Opera Company (Flagstaff, AZ): section percussion for Wagner’s "Ring Cycle" Orchestra, May-Jun 1996, May-Jun 1998
- Northern Arizona University Centennial Celebration Orchestra (Flagstaff, AZ): section percussion, Jun 1998
- Sun City Symphony Orchestra (Sun City, AZ): substitute percussionist, Feb 1997-1999
- Master Chorale of Flagstaff (Flagstaff, AZ): section percussion, Dec 1995, Dec 1996, Dec 1997
- Mesa Symphony Orchestra (Mesa, AZ): substitute percussionist, 1995 -July 1996
Education and other skills
- Intermittent study with: Raquy Danziger (doumbek), Glen Velez (frame drum), Jamey Haddad (frame drum, rhythmic systems), Rusty Scott (jazz theory and comping), Jerry Leake and Jon Singer (tabla).
- 2002: Percussion study in Salvador, Brasil: samba, capoeira, and candomble (2 week live/work study)
- 1999: Graduated Summa Cum Laude from Northern Arizona University with a Bachelor’s of Music in Percussion Performance.
- 11 years of formal piano studies (age 6-17)
- Intermediate fluency: Spanish and Brazilian Portuguese
- Product designer and user experience consultant for websites and software (1996-present)
Professional Affiliations
- Member, Chamber Music America
- Member, American Federation of Musicians / Boston Musicians' Association (BMA)
- Member, Percussive Arts Society (PAS)
References
Available on request.