Johnny O’Neal at The Jazz Room
July 2 @ 8:00 pm
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. 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.
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.
Presented by the Grand River Jazz Society.
Doors open at 6:30 P.M. Come for dinner; stay for music!
Show starts at 8:00 P.M. Ends at 10:30 P.M.
Cover Charge: $20.00 / person.
