As it is only mid-October, you probably donāt want to hear this, but the holidays and the holiday shopping season are here.
Perfume for mom? Maybe socks and a neck tie for dad? Or if youāre a parent, the latest video version of Halo for junior or a Juicy Couture ruffle edge nightshirt for your budding teenage fashion queen?
Or you could just knock it out of the park with a really original gift this year: a live recording session with Glendoraās Grammy-nominated guiltarist/producer/songwriter Michael OāNeill.
OāNeillās discography reads like a whoās who of music. For more than three decades, heās appeared on stage and cut records with George Benson, Natalie Cole, Al Jarreau, Stevie Wonder and other amazing musical giants, representing practically every musical genre from blues to pop.
Indeed, as this article goes to press heās in Phoenix, Az., performing with Benson. Over Thanksgiving, heāll move his guitar to Washington D.C. for three sold-out performances at the Kennedy Center, joining the National Symphony in paying tribute to Nat King Cole.
Heās a veteran road warrior who has toured the world countless times, from Alaska to Angola and from Montreux, Switzerland to Monterey, Calif. He literally hasnāt missed a beat on the worldās musical stage for more than three decades.
But it was during a stretch at home — helping his 20-year-old daughter, āa singer/songwriter type,ā produce a record — that he had his latest āahaā moment,
āThat awakened a passion in me to start working with people on an individual basis,ā Michael said over a cup of coffee at the La Verne Starbucks.
Clearly, he has the musical chops to assist and steer young musical artists in the right direction concerning their musical careers. āCertainly, I can help them transition from just knowing their music to helping them document it in the form of a recording,ā he said.
Think Jimmy Iovine, the CEO of Interscope and the in-house musical coach for āAmerican Idol.ā He knows how to take a rough product or act and polish and coach it up to professionalĀ listening quality.
āThere are so many things that go into it, thereās even a right and wrong way to hold a microphone,ā said OāNeill, whose production company is called Green Bean in honor of his Irish-Mexican heritage. āIāve learned there are few shortcuts in this business.ā
Young aspiring artists arenāt the only people who would benefit from OāNeillās musical direction, editing, mixing, mastering and professional input.
āWhat about that older person who always had that dream of recording that one signature song? OāNeill wondered aloud. āHe or Ā sheĀ can do that now because of the amazing advances that have taken place in recording technology.
āWhen I started, we were using 24-track, 2-inch analog tape,” he added. “When you wanted to edit on a mix, you had to splice the tape and reattach it. Today, itās a digital world, everything is done seamlessly.ā
OāNeill can also separate the vocal tracks from any recording and create a digital file or CD that singers can bring to their favorite karaoke outing.
āNow they have their favorite music customized to their key, where they feel most comfortable,ā OāNeill noted.
Just like the half dozen CDs that OāNeill has released, he sees countless possibilities with not only his music, but also in helping others find their muse. For example, many music schools and colleges as part of their admissions process ask applicants to submit samples of their music. Again, OāNeill could serve as a resource to help students produce and submit their best work.
OāNeill has seen his career come full circle and is enjoying reconnecting to singers who are ready to make their mark on the music world as he has. After attending Los Angeles area high schools and Los Angeles Valley Community College, he hit the streets and the clubs, picking up any gigs he could.
His major musical inspiration was his godfather, a member of Trio Calaveras (skullheads), a famous band in Mexico that regularly appeared at Los Angelesā Million Dollar theater. āWhen they came up for shows, we always had these extended family gatherings,ā OāNeill recalled. āAs a young boy, I was fascinated by the experience. They always made me do my Elvis impression.ā
A born entertainer, OāNeill finally got his big break with the Crusaders. āThey were at their peak with āStreet Life,ā sung by Randy Crawford. (http://youtu.be/cnNyxy7XPfs). The next thing he knew he was jet-setting around the world with the titans of the music industry.
āIāll never forget it, Iām this greenhorn out of the clubs of L.A., and weāre flying to Europe via JFK. After we land in New York, Iām looking around and tell the tour manager that the terminal looks kind of weird. He says, āHey kid, weāre flying on the Concorde (the supersonic transport airplane).ā
āI finally take my seat, and who walks by me but Paul McCartney and his late wife, Linda, so I spent the entire flight talking to them.ā
From that initial whirlwind tour, the touring has never really stopped. He hooked up with George Benson in 1981, and while still a member of Bensonās band, he also played with many of the worldās great jazz and R&B greats, including Aretha Franklin, Joe Sample, Chaka Khan, Bobby Caldwell and Sarah McLachlan, to name but a few.
About 10 years ago, OāNeill, the veteran sideman who had backed up so many outstanding artists, decided it was time to come out with his first solo album. The inspiration had come when he was onstage at Carnegie Hall as part of a world tour with singer Rickie Lee Jones in support of her 1991 Top Pop album.
What poured forth was a fusion of influences from Stevie Wonder, George Benson and other celebrated artists with whom he had performed. The album was appropriately named, āNever Too Late.ā (http://youtu.be/rvfyxG-9B4k)
Wrote Jonathan Widran, of JAZZIZ Magazine, āMid-tempo meditations like “Sidewalk Strut” and the Brazilian-flavored acoustic piece “Cruisin’ On Down” (featuring O’Neill’s lively scatting) offer more evidence of the guitarist’s ability to please the listener’s ear while stretching stylistic boundaries.ā
Added Jeff Charney of āContemporary Jazzā: āMichael O’Neill created a masterpiece and his songwriting reached new heights. His tone and playing is wonderful. On this album, O’Neill found his true voice. He definitively will show that he belongs to the best. His music is a fantastic mix of jazz, funk, soul and R&B.ā
Maybe the greatest praise of OāNeillās work comes from Benson, whom OāNeill has accompanied for three decades, a soulful association that shows no signs of slowing down.
āHe was great when he first joined my group but he has continued to grow and search for new and fresh ideas,ā Benson said. āHe possesses great technique and versatility and plays with conviction. Michael is a contemporary player, who, like myself, gives attention to the melodic side of a composition and stays within its context – but can stretch when called upon to do so. Check him out, I know you’ll like him as much as I do.”
Thatās good advice. OāNeillās music may belong to the world, but heās also right here at home, willing to help young and old alike take their musical interests, however small or large, to the next level.
For more information about the man and his music, visit www.michaeloneillmusic.net, where youāll find a variety of his songs. You can also email him at monelius@aol.com. The REEL People video on the home page of LaVerneOnline also features one of his contemporary jazz tunes. Enjoy.
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