John O’Leary was surrounded by music; his mother was a concert pianist and the house was always filled with musicians; professionals and students. But John also enjoyed and excelled in math and science. His family wanted him to become a doctor and he thought he would. He began playing the Tuba in high school and in college double majored in Tuba performance and chemistry. In college he fell in love with Jazz. He changed his major and began to study Jazz Piano. Serendipitously he was placed in a combo with Mark Feinman and Alejandro Arenas, with whom he would one day be part of the oh so popular jazz trio La Lucha. An injury kept him continuing to study jazz piano after graduation. He applied to Graduate school and completed his MA and PhD in Neuroscience. Listen to this thoughtful, serious man talk about the soul searching which finally led to his choice to pursue his dream, a career as a Jazz musician and listen to a cut from his CD Crispr.
And come see John and La Lucha open the Jazz Club’s kick-off of its 40th anniversary season with the fabulous Shelly Berg Sat, October 26, 2019 7:00 PM – 9:30 PM EDT at Holley Hall, Beatrice Friedman Symphony Center
709 North Tamiami Trail Sarasota, FL 34236