Jazz Articles about Mark O'Leary

Mark O'Leary / Terje Isungset: Shamanic Voices

by Glenn Astarita
June 9, 2008

Irish guitar hero Mark O'Leary continues to pursue the outer boundaries of improvisation. Here, he aligns with Norwegian percussionist Terje Isungset for a polytonal and multihued improv fest. On 2008's Shamanic Voices, with more on the way, the guitarist intermingles acoustic and electric guitar parts with his partner's keen use of disparate percussion objects. Loaded with contrasts, O'Leary shades the proceedings with injections of electronics and a myriad of guitars. Whether he fuses fuzz-toned pyrotechnics with Isungset's shakers, woodblocks, cymbals ...

Mark O' Leary -- Eyvind Kang -- Dylan Van Der Schyff: Zemlya

by Glenn Astarita
May 2, 2008

This newly formed trio's 2008 release is thematically based upon a frigid pair of islands off the Russian coast. In turn, the artist and his venerable improvising/progressive-jazz associates weave a musically chilling panorama via spacey backdrops and tumultuous three-way dialogues. At times, they invoke danger, as if they're warning the listener to proceed with caution.

Guitarist Mark O'Leary's mastery of volume control techniques is in full stride. And with violist Eyvind Kang also injecting effects processing ...

Mark O'Leary / Han Bennink: Television

by Glenn Astarita
April 6, 2008

It's a proven fact that rising guitar superhero Mark O'Leary only performs with the cr?me de la cr?me of progressive-jazz improvisers. No doubt, he's on a fast-track pace via notable recordings for Leo Records and others. This 2008 endeavor marks the Irish guitarist's inaugural outing for Sweden-based Ayler Records, and it's a download-only MP3 product that offers album cover art and tray inserts. Here, O'Leary meets up with legendary Dutch drummer Han Bennink for a rough and tumble improv set ...

Mark O'Leary: Waiting

by Robert Iannapollo
December 6, 2007

Early recordings by Irish guitarist Mark O'Leary put him in the impressionistic ECM camp, but more recent recordings and gigs with Paul Bley and Milford Graves show him drifting closer towards the avant-garde. Waiting, a set of free improvs inspired by Samuel Beckett with trumpeter Cuong Vu and drummer Tom Rainey, reinforces that view. The disc opens with the title track, O'Leary on 12-string acoustic guitar playing ringing, arpeggiated phrases reminiscent of Ralph Towner. About midway through, ...

Mark O' Leary: Signs

by Glenn Astarita
September 2, 2007

Guitarist Mark O'Leary's plight is perhaps akin to one who seeks an eternal betterment of modern-improvised music, where styles and fertile ideas connect and provide nourishment for a fertile musical plane. Recorded in California with notables, bassist Steuart Leibig and drummer Alex Cline, the trio professes some down-home ruckus, while occasionally throttling back the momentum into interstellar space environs.

O'Leary opens the festivities with ambient acoustic guitar lines on “Tilt, as his associates subsequently up the ...

Mark O'Leary - Cuong Vu - Tom Rainey: Waiting

by AAJ Italy Staff
February 1, 2007

Mark O’Leary predilige la dimensione del trio, formazione con la quale ha licenziato parecchi dei suoi album. Ma se Awakening, il precedente disco per la Leo, nonostante la compagnia di due fuoriclasse come Steve Swallow e Pierre Favre, era risultato poco convincente e sfocato, questo Waiting risulta perfettamente centrato, lucidamente pensato e perfettamente eseguito. La prima cosa che colpisce nell’aprire la custodia di Waiting è lo sguardo intenso, profondo, enigmatico, di Samuel Beckett, cui il disco è dedicato. Ma più ...

Mark O' Leary / Cuong Vu / Tom Rainey: Waiting

by Glenn Astarita
January 31, 2007

Two venerable New York City downtown vets, trumpeter/experimentalist Cuong Vu and drummer Tom Rainey, impart their distinct musical personas upon budding Irish guitarist Mark O'Leary's latest recording, a this studio set. Vu incorporates textural components via loops and EFX, while flexing some muscle on his trumpet. O'Leary's motivation is underscored by the works of famed Irish playwright Samuel Beckett.

He commences the gala with pensive, Ralph Towner-like twelve-string acoustic guitar voicings on the opening title track. Then Vu follows with ...