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Brian "Bean" O'Neal |
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Mood Swings |
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It's no wonder: Reading the biography of Brian "Bean" O'Neill, one finds no possibility to get acknowledge of this artist. He lives and works in Atlanta, where he established his own production company, BCO Media, Inc. Although inspired by artists like Herbie Hancock, Morris Day and the Time, Rachelle Ferrell, Pat Metheny or Pieces Of A Dream, he never had been a sideman in a famous label production. As keyboardist/musical director he shared the stage with Take Notes at the Montreux Jazz Festival and with Craig Ellis and with Akema Johnson at MidTown Music Festival. Fortunately internet mediates us the opportunity to listen and to buy his music. Music is in the net, you 've only to find it. Trust your ear and you will be satisfied. Mood Swings is Brian "Bean" O'Neill's first production in the Smooth Jazz genre. Brian composed, arranged and performed all songs. Equiped with Korg Triton, Roland XP80, Ensoniq TS-12 w/scsi sample library, Emu Proteus 2000 and 9' Grand Piano it's no problem to create earcatching music, if you are a talented musician and Brian undertakes to proof it with this album. The album starts with Holland Residence, a slow and moody piano piece with additional keyboard and drum machine support. The tune is well arranged and knows to please. The more fluently keyboard sounds are broken with piano attacks and runnings. From Concentrate accelerates the tempo. Brian has the feeling for an admirable piano groove combined with an accentuated rhythm. After a rolling thunder and falling rain Art Of Life fades in. Piano and keyboards caresses together to a coherent dream. The following Black Beans has a strong groove. Brian chops his piano like Bob Baldwin or Marcus Johnson. The sound is very familiar especially his slick excursion into jazzy improvisation. Swings-N-Things finally reveals Brian's affinity for swinging music. His piano play is clear and perfect. Nevertheless Brian doesn't neglect Smooth Jazz as to hear at Hourglass. His music is streaming along relaxing and easy. Train Of Thought surprises with a deep synthi bass and special rhythm effects. Although I prefer a natural saxophone overdubb to a synthi sax, even this slow piece has its atmosphere. Loud And Clear is an uptempo tune which awakes anew associations to Bob Baldwin's music. Fresh and hooking. Winter Sun is based on a tablas rhythm. After a slow cautious approach to the main melody Brian increases into new improvisations. On Sandman Brian releases himself from the main-rhythm again in order to improvise freely on his piano. We should encourage him to longer solos. Samba Sauce is certainly not the applicable title for the next tune, which is no Latin music at all. Brian unleashs new piano cadenses, but he hesitates to make a final breakthrough to a musical eruption. Yome is a rhythm-emphasized slow tune with heavy grooving synths and a vivid piano play. Let Me Do It finalizes a successful hear-dear album. Its professionality is beyond all doubt also its straightness. Brian is a gifted and high-talented musician. On his next project he should adopt the inputs of other musicians. Suprises are the salt in a musical soup. © HBH
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