Jazz Articles about NOJO

NOJO with Sam Rivers: City of Neighbourhoods

by Brandt Reiter
February 17, 2005

Led by pianist-tubaist Paul Neufeld and guitarist-conductor Michael Occhipinti, the Toronto-based Neufeld/Occhipinti Jazz Orchestra (NOJO) has been wowing audiences up North for a decade now, but has received scant attention here in the States. City of Neighbourhoods , the group's fourth recording and its first to get an American release, ought to change that. The ensemble, which has expanded as large as sixteen pieces, is down to a tight nonet this time around, but it's called in a ringer guest ...

NOJO (The Neufeld / Occhipinti Jazz Orchestra: You Are Here

by Jack Bowers
July 1, 2000

NOJO (Canada’s Neufeld / Occhipinti Jazz Orchestra) is back with its second engaging album of unclassifiable music, this time with poll–winning guest clarinetist / bass clarinetist Don Byron on hand to add his elliptical commentary. Whereas many undernourished ensembles exert every effort to sound larger than they are, NOJO’s seventeen members seem to go out of their way to emulate a much smaller group, seldom sounding like there are more than nine or ten sidemen playing at any one time. ...

NOJO (Neufeld Occhipinti Jazz Orchestra) with Don Byron: You Are Here

by Glenn Astarita
July 1, 2000

Canadian’s - guitarist Michael Occhipinti and pianist Paul Neufeld are well-known in their native homeland and now that American jazz label “Koch” has released, You Are There, the large ensemble, “NOJO” (Neufeld Occhipinti Jazz Orchestra) should soon be the recipients of some widespread attention with this fine release! An added bonus here is the appearance of clarinetist Don Byron who is the prime soloist throughout these thirteen Neufeld and Occhipinti compositions.

With the opener, “Grassfire” it becomes immediately apparent that ...

NOJO: You Are Here

by Joel Roberts
March 1, 1999

If, like me, you live outside Canada, you may not know about NOJO--the Neufeld-Occhipinti Jazz Orchestra. But major talents like Joe Lovano, Kenny Wheeler, and Ray Anderson know NOJO, and have all played or recorded with the group. The 16-piece Toronto-based ensemble has won numerous Canadian jazz awards for their highly original, progressive big band sound, but for some reason they still don't have an American distribution deal. That ought to change after record companies south of the border get ...