Jazz Articles

Michael Occhipinti: The Sicilian Jazz Project

by Raul d'Gama Rose
September 3, 2008

Michael Occhipinti The Sicilian Jazz ProjectTrue North Records2008 It is a fact of history that modern music can be traced to the seven-note diatonic scale (do-re-mi-fa-so-la-ti)--solffeggio--that came into existence when the Benedictine monk, Guido of Arrezo created its scale. He did so ingeniously, by nominating syllables from the first verse of “The Hymn of St. John," written by Paulus Diaconus in the 8th century. But it is also true, though less known, ...

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 ...

Petra Haden/Bill Frisell: Petra Haden and Bill Frisell

by John Kelman
February 5, 2005

Working with singers is nothing new to the ubiquitous and stylistically impossible-to-pigeonhole guitarist Bill Frisell. But whereas his '95 collaboration with Elvis Costello, Deep Dead Blue , was a live recording, stark in its simple meeting of one voice and one guitar, Frisell's latest teaming with Petra Haden, daughter of legendary bassist Charlie, and singer/violinist for that dog, is an altogether more produced affair. Petra Haden and Bill Frisell finds both Frisell and Haden building layer upon layer of sound, ...

Petra Haden and Bill Frisell: Petra Haden and Bill Frisell

by Mark Sabbatini
February 1, 2005

Opinions about the self-titled Petra Haden and Bill Frisell will likely depend on whether the latter gives listeners the Willies or they find the guitarist Unspeakable. Those attracted by his mellow heartland meditations on The Willies (Nonesuch, 2002) will likely enjoy it; those shunning it in favor of his eclectic modernism on Unspeakable (Nonesuch, 2004) may find it too tame. This assumes, of course, that there's also an interest in hearing the frilly vocals of Petra Haden.

Make ...

Michael Occhipinti: Creation Dream - The Songs of Bruce Cockburn

by Glenn Astarita
February 1, 2001

Canadian guitarist/composer and co-leader of the “NOJO” large ensemble, Michael Occhipinti pays homage to fellow countryman and celebrated folk singer, Bruce Cockburn on Creation Dream – the songs of Bruce Cockburn. With this release, the guitarist garners some additional support from frequent collaborator, clarinetist Don Byron, along with a sympathetic cast of top-notch Canadian jazz musicians, while Cockburn, strums his acoustic guitar on one track, (“Pacing The Cage”).

The musicians inject or perhaps transpose the themes and finely crafted lyricism ...

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 ...