Johnny O'Neal • In Good Hands

 

Biography
by Scott Yanow
A fine pianist influenced by Oscar Peterson, Johnny O'Neal actually started his career playing gospel piano in church while a teenager. Inspired by Peterson, Art Tatum, and Bud Powell, O'Neal started exploring jazz in 1976 and after impressing Ray Brown, found his way into Milt Jackson's group. Other important jobs followed (with Sonny Stitt, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, and Buddy DeFranco), and in 1982, O'Neal moved to New York and soon recorded his debut with Concord. After playing regularly with Clark Terry, he was a member of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers (1982-1983) and has mostly led his own groups ever since. Johnny O'Neal has recorded as a leader for Concord, Parkwood, and Justin Time (1995), taking three effective vocals on the latter set.
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/johnny-oneal-mn0000085003/biography



Biography
by allaboutjazz.com
In the Hollywood film “Ray,” Ray Charles, played by Jamie Foxx, goes to a nightclub to see legendary Toledo jazz pianist Art Tatum played by Johnny O’Neal. During filming, O’Neal played three or four songs, although only one “Yesterdays” made it to the silver screen.

“That was a real honor for me, and for Toledo audiences, to play the part of Tatum—one of the greatest pianists ever.” A lot of people asked Johnny what Tatum record he was playing along with. “I was playing live! That was me,” he said. Following the success of “Ray”, the Ray Charles Band asked Johnny to take the piano chair for its major venue tour in 2005. This band is just the latest to seek Johnny’s talents.

Johnny’s enormous musical gifts were immediately apparent to jazz icon Ray Brown and led to his 1983 debut album “Coming Out”. Stints with Ray Brown, Milt Jackson and Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers soon followed.

Johnny has been tapped for appearances by Ray Brown, Milt Jackson, Dizzy Gillespie, Joe Pass, Nancy Wilson, Anita O’Day, Lionel Hampton, Kenny Burrell, Sonny Stitt, Benny Golson, Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis, and Clark Terry, among others. Performances on the festival circuits in Europe, Australia, Japan and a recent tour of South Africa have gained Johnny an international following.

“Johnny is outstanding in his ability to interpret a wide range of material with ease and sensitivity,” according to Parkwood Records’ Hugh Leal. This versatility was showcased on his debut recording for Justin Time, “On the Montreal Scene”, which soulfully interweaves gospel, blues and mainstream jazz. Jim Little, who writes regularly for the Montreal Weekly Hour, proffered, “O’Neal offers up a serving of the blues and gospel ingredients that help make him such a tasty player.”

Astonishingly, Johnny is largely self-taught. His playing evokes the influences imbued in him by his idols Oscar Peterson and Art Tatum, and he has reshaped these elements into his own very swinging and melodic approach. In live performances, he is apt to catch his audience off-guard with his soulfully rendered yet unpretentious vocalizations. Johnny admits to loving to shout the blues but calls himself a piano player first.

There have been three notable events in Johnny’s career that continue to inspire him: an appearance at Carnegie Hall early in his career when he was the opening solo pianist for Oscar Peterson, his 1998 induction into the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame and playing the role of Art Tatum in the award winning feature film “Ray”.
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/musicians/johnny-oneal

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Biografía
por Scott Yanow
Johnny O'Neal, un excelente pianista influido por Oscar Peterson, comenzó su carrera tocando el piano gospel en la iglesia cuando era adolescente. Inspirado por Peterson, Art Tatum y Bud Powell, O'Neal empezó a explorar el jazz en 1976 y, tras impresionar a Ray Brown, consiguió entrar en el grupo de Milt Jackson. Le siguieron otros trabajos importantes (con Sonny Stitt, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis y Buddy DeFranco) y, en 1982, O'Neal se trasladó a Nueva York y pronto grabó su debut con Concord. Tras tocar regularmente con Clark Terry, fue miembro de Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers (1982-1983) y desde entonces ha liderado principalmente sus propios grupos. Johnny O'Neal ha grabado como líder para Concord, Parkwood y Justin Time (1995), llevando tres voces efectivas en este último conjunto.
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/johnny-oneal-mn0000085003/biography



Biografía
por allaboutjazz.com
En la película de Hollywood "Ray", Ray Charles, interpretado por Jamie Foxx, acude a un club nocturno para ver al legendario pianista de jazz toledano Art Tatum, interpretado por Johnny O'Neal. Durante el rodaje, O'Neal tocó tres o cuatro canciones, aunque sólo una, "Yesterdays", llegó a la gran pantalla.

"Fue un verdadero honor para mí, y para el público de Toledo, interpretar el papel de Tatum, uno de los mejores pianistas de la historia". Mucha gente le preguntaba a Johnny con qué disco de Tatum estaba tocando. "¡Estaba tocando en directo! Ese era yo", decía. Tras el éxito de "Ray", la Ray Charles Band pidió a Johnny que ocupara la silla del piano en su gran gira de salas de 2005. Esta banda es sólo la última en buscar el talento de Johnny.

Las enormes dotes musicales de Johnny llamaron inmediatamente la atención del icono del jazz Ray Brown y dieron lugar a su álbum de debut "Coming Out" en 1983. Pronto le siguieron colaboraciones con Ray Brown, Milt Jackson y Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers.

Johnny ha colaborado con Ray Brown, Milt Jackson, Dizzy Gillespie, Joe Pass, Nancy Wilson, Anita O'Day, Lionel Hampton, Kenny Burrell, Sonny Stitt, Benny Golson, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis y Clark Terry, entre otros. Sus actuaciones en los circuitos de festivales de Europa, Australia, Japón y una reciente gira por Sudáfrica le han granjeado seguidores internacionales.

Según Hugh Leal, de Parkwood Records, "Johnny destaca por su capacidad para interpretar una amplia gama de material con facilidad y sensibilidad". Esta versatilidad quedó patente en su primera grabación para Justin Time, "On the Montreal Scene", que entrelaza conmovedoramente gospel, blues y jazz convencional. Jim Little, que escribe regularmente para el Montreal Weekly Hour, afirmó: "O'Neal ofrece una ración de los ingredientes de blues y gospel que contribuyen a hacer de él un intérprete tan sabroso".

Sorprendentemente, Johnny es en gran medida autodidacta. Su forma de tocar evoca las influencias que le imbuyeron sus ídolos Oscar Peterson y Art Tatum, y ha reconvertido estos elementos en su propio enfoque melódico y lleno de swing. En sus actuaciones en directo, es capaz de pillar desprevenido a su público con sus vocalizaciones llenas de alma pero sin pretensiones. Johnny admite que le encanta gritar blues, pero se considera ante todo un pianista.

En la carrera de Johnny se han producido tres acontecimientos notables que siguen inspirándole: una aparición en el Carnegie Hall al principio de su carrera, cuando fue el pianista solista de apertura de Oscar Peterson, su ingreso en 1998 en el Salón de la Fama del Jazz de Alabama e interpretar el papel de Art Tatum en la galardonada película "Ray".
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/musicians/johnny-oneal

Tracks:
1 - In Good Hands 2:48
2 - Born to Be Blue 6:58
3 - What Is There to Say 4:58
4 - Tricotism 4:54
5 - Ghost of a Chance 3:37
6 - Mornin' 5:12
7 - In a Mellow Tone 8:12
8 - My Ship 7:12
9 - Half Breed 5:53
10 - Alfie 4:35
11 - Next Spring 4:39

2002
    

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