“Absorbing the whole story elevates The Sundering from a fine collection of piano tunes to a profound work of art.”

— Downbeat Magazine, Michael J. West

“Focusing on evocative solo works, starting with the resolute and richly imaginative “Aurora,” O’Leary illuminates his path and perspectives with remarkable clarity.”

— Jazz Times, Dan Bilawsky

Bio

“To leave behind the familiar and become an immediate stranger, to find the strength to build something from nothing, to harvest your deepest courage to move forward and trust in what’s to come, to get so acquainted with contradiction that you grow accustomed to belonging everywhere and nowhere at the same time. Immigrant stories are all similar in this way; they are so full of the widest spectrum of emotion that you become an expert in understanding opposites. You deal with loss and gain in every movement.” -Camila Meza

With a rich and complex cultural background, John C. O’Leary III—the son of an American father and a Mexican mother—writes music that harbors an idiosyncratic and poetic dichotomy. John was born in the Yucatan peninsula and raised in Cholula and Merida where he started piano lessons at age three. He left everything behind to come to America at twelve years old, where he’s built an impressive resume, including a PhD in Neuroscience from the University of South Florida College of Medicine.

John is the recipient of the Ruth L. Kirschstein F31 predoctoral fellowship from the National Institute of Neurological Disease and Stroke. He has recorded extensively with La Lucha, and  as a solo artist and sideman. John has performed with Randy Brecker, Dick Hyman, Houston Person, Melissa Aldana, Camila Meza, Wycliffe Gordon, Adrian Cunningham, Jason Marsalis, Charles McPherson, Russell Malone, Ken Peplowski, Diego Figueiredo, Chuck Redd, Marty Morell, Jeff Rupert, Shaun Martin, The Florida Orchestra, and many more.

John’s latest solo album and debut for Arbors Records, The Sundering, opens listeners up to all that makes humans vulnerable. It offers a glimpse into the main character’s life scenes that evoke moments full of emotion: memories of childhood, snapshots of joy, of nostalgia, separation, friendship, existential ponderings, and at times confusion and doubt. Ultimately the resolution of internal conflict helps find that place where we can sit still.  

“The overall collection of songs creates an exploration of resilience, of putting oneself together after facing hardships, and of feeling like a stranger in an unfamiliar land. The uncertainty but also the grit from someone who leaves everything behind to start a new life somewhere else is felt throughout the music,” -Camila Meza.

The Sundering features stellar collaborations with pianist Shaun Martin, of Snarky Puppy, and jazz legend Dick Hyman on four of the tracks, which celebrate friendship and human connection. The choice of piano duets is fresh and pays homage to the early years of John’s life in America when he listened to Marian McPartland’s famous radio program Piano Jazz falling in love with the sound of improvisation. Bringing to the table an original piece from each of the guests, “Focus” by Martin and “Samba Jelly” by Hyman—the latter was specifically written for the album—the compositions take flight as playful conversations. The improvisations adhere to the spirit of the album: taking risks, conveying urgency, and welcoming the unknown. Shaun Martin also produced the album.

John is a Yamaha Artist and plays Yamaha pianos exclusively.