The quartet: global jazz meets exotic chamber music
Top 10 CDs for 2011 - …just about all the original stars of exotica…are gone -- here, at last, is their successor."Huffington Post
"…borrowing themes from Tchaikovsky and Shostakovich, Mr. Ho has created his own rigorous classical-jazz hybrid. Are you listening, Keith Lockhart?…" Boston Phoenix
"…one of the most innovative jazz groups running…" BlogCritics (I Hear Sparks)
"…serious jazz and chamber music writing…" Boston Herald
"…crack musicians…a chamber jazz sensibility suggesting what the Modern Jazz Quartet might have sounded like had they…ordered a round of mai tais…" Express Milwaukee
Referencing the exotica of composers ranging from Tchaikovsky and Shostakovich to George Gershwin, Martin Denny, and John Adams, The Orchestroticaas a vibraphone quartetpresents an original collection of untraditional jazz, classical arrangements, and world music with flavors from Asia, the Middle East, the Balkans, and Latin America. Led by multi-percussionist, vibraphonist and composer Brian O’Neill, the group also features bass flute/woodwinds (Geni Skendo), percussion (Noriko Terada), and acoustic bass (Jason Davis). The quartet focuses on original music written by O'Neill ("a first-rate composer"Huffington Post) that is highly influenced by his fifteen-year career as a multi-percussionist in symphony orchestras, jazz groups, and world music ensembles leading AllAboutJazz to say, "…if John Zorn is an exotica Picasso, O'Neill is his Georges-Braque counterpart in cubism's transposition to music."
In June 2011, they released their debut quartet CD, Third River Rangoon, which the Boston Herald called "…serious jazz and chamber-music writing…" and Lucid Culture called "…a lushly nocturnal collection…genius." The album continues their Exotica for Modern Living series, which opened with The Unforgettable Sounds of Esquivel , their 23-pc big band formation performing the lost space-age pop music of Esquivel. That album eventually reached #4 on the CMJ jazz charts and received 4 stars from the Sunday London Times.
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| Live MP3 | Listen | Description | Length | Free download |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Third River Rangoon |
Download the Flash player to preview clips.
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By Mr. Ho | 4:36 | Download it free + 5 more MP3s |
| Autumn Digging Dance |
Download the Flash player to preview clips.
|
By Mr. Ho | 3:12 | |
| Colorado Waltz |
Download the Flash player to preview clips.
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By Cal Tjader | 4:22 | Download it free + 5 more MP3s |
| China Clipper |
Download the Flash player to preview clips.
|
By Martin Denny. Live track, 12/2009 |
5:11 | Download |
| Most of these tracks are from Third River Rangoon (May 2011). 6 tracks for free! | ||||
New album - May 2011
| Item/Catalog # | Description | Price | ![]() |
|---|---|---|---|
| Album: Tiki-002 (May 2011)
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CD: Third River Rangoon
The second album in our Exotica for Modern Living series by the global jazz quartet. Shipping starts at $3.50. Download free on request; just email us after your order. |
$11.99 | |
| Download it: Third River Rangoon
The only website to offer CD-quality, lossless M4A files! . |
$7.99 |
![]() amazon.com Buying from this site, Orchestrotica.com, gets you both MP3s and CD-quality, lossless M4A files. Amazon and iTune's files are lower quality and only about 30% of the revenue goes to us, the Orchestrotica. Please consider supporting the Orchestrotica's musicians by purchasing from us directly (safely via PayPal). Buy from orchestrotica.com | iTunes ($9.99) | Amazon ($7.99) |
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| Album: Tiki-001 | The first album in the Exotica For Modern Living series (The Unforgettable Sounds of Esquivel) featuring the 23-pc big band formation of the Orchestrotica, is now available. Visit this page to see all albums and tickets in our store. | ||
About the albums
The quartet’s debut CD, Third River Rangoon, is now available and is part of the group's "Exotica for Modern Living" series, which started in November 2010 with the release of the group's big band CD. For special events, Mr. Ho’s Orchestrotica swells to a 23-piece ensemble and is the world’s only performer of the space-age bachelor pad big band music of Juan Garcia Esquivel. The Sunday Times (London) recently gave their debut album 4 stars, citing it as having "…exquisite attention to details."

More photos on the press kit tab
- Mr. Ho (Brian O'Neill): Artistic Director, composer, vibes, percussion (crashandboom.com)
- Jason Davis: bass (Earthsoundsonline.com)
- Geni Skendo: bass flute, c-flute, shakuhachi (GeniMusic.com)
- Noriko Terada: percussion (Norikoterada.com)
Photo by Robin Holland. More photos on the press kit tab.
Press Kit
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"…borrowing themes from Tchaikovsky and Shostakovich, Mr. Ho has created his own rigorous classical-jazz hybrid. Are you listening, Keith Lockhart?…" Boston Phoenix
![]()
Top 10 CDs for 2011 - "…just about all the original stars of exotica…are gonehere, at last, is their successor…[O'Neill] is a first-rate composer."Huffington Post
Audio
| Live MP3 | Listen | Composer | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Autumn Digging Dance |
Download the Flash player to preview clips.
|
Brian O'Neill | 3:12 |
| Colorado Waltz |
Download the Flash player to preview clips.
|
Cal Tjader | 4:22 |
| Third River Rangoon |
Download the Flash player to preview clips.
|
Brian O'Neill | 4:36 |
| Arab Dance |
Download the Flash player to preview clips.
|
P. Tchaikovsky arr. O'Neill |
5:11 |
Quick bio
Referencing the exotica of composers ranging from Tchaikovsky and Shostakovich to George Gershwin, Martin Denny, and John Adams, The Orchestroticaas a vibraphone quartetpresents an original collection of untraditional jazz, classical arrangements, and world music with flavors from Asia, the Middle East, the Balkans, and Latin America. Led by multi-percussionist, vibraphonist and composer Brian O’Neill, the group also features bass flute/woodwinds (Geni Skendo), percussion (Noriko Terada), and acoustic bass (Jason Davis). The quartet focuses on original music written by O'Neill (“a first-rate composer”Huffington Post) that is highly influenced by his fifteen-year career as a multi-percussionist in symphony orchestras, jazz groups, and world music ensembles leading AllAboutJazz to say, "…if John Zorn is an exotica Picasso, O'Neill is his Georges-Braque counterpart in cubism’s transposition to music.” Full bio
Press photos
| (3744x5616 - 14MB) Robin Holland |
(3744x5616 - 14MB) Robin Holland |
(3744x5616 - 14MB) Robin Holland |
(3744x5616 - 14MB) Robin Holland |
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| (3744x5616 - 14MB) Robin Holland |
(6144x4096 - 6.4MB) Kelly Davidson |
(5616x2952 - 12MB) Kelly Davidson |
Mr. Ho (Brian O'Neill) 6.4mb high res JPG More photos of Mr. Ho in the big band press kit (by Harrison Hurwitz). |
Bio, 1-sheet, Contact
"…one of the most innovative jazz groups running…" BlogCritics (I Hear Sparks)
"…as Braque may have been the finer cubist, O'Neill may be…a stronger exoticist than [John] Zorn." AllAboutJazz
"…serious jazz and chamber music writing…" Boston Herald
- 1-sheet (PDF) view on screen
- Press quotes (PDF)
- Bio (PDF)
- Discography (PDF)
- Education/outreach programs (PDF)
- Musician roster (PDF)
- For bookings, contact Brian O'Neill at:
info@Orchestrotica.com
W: 1.347.482.1775
Photos in slideshow by Mike Spencer. Credits from January 2011 YMCA show: Mattia Palombi, Luis Rincón, and Arturo R. Jiménez (camera). Klon Koehler, Bernat Fortiana (sound).





