The No. 1 thing that Brian Haas — pianist and founder of Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey — wants to get across is gratitude. Of course, a lot of musicians say this. But Brian Haas perhaps has more to be thankful for than your typical grateful artist. Think about it. Haas started a jazz band in […]
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Hogan’s Fable
Hogan, a 2008 music composition graduate of Oklahoma City University, has presented several of his short films in deadCENTER Film Festival and has also worked on television projects. But he wanted The Fable of Shannon Cable to serve as his feature film debut because it marries unlikely genres, includes a music video, sports his “awkward […]
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Queerbait
Of all things, the VHS tape is in the midst of a nostalgic resurgence. Not only does the dead medium of the 1980s enjoy having a horror-anthology franchise named after it, but no fewer than three new documentaries celebrate its heyday, and a few indie labels have issued limited-edition releases on bulky cassettes rather than […]
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Brian Haas / Matt Chamberlain — Frames
That an artist would become enamored with divination after moving to the sprawling, mountain-laden countryside on the outskirts of Santa Fe, N.M., makes perfect sense. So, too, does Frames. While not improvised, per se, the album does toe the line between boundlessness and structure. A methodically composed exercise through the tempered scale, Frames clocks in […]
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Frame of mind
Brian Haas wasn’t always a jazz musician. The Tulsa native and Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey ringleader was instead trained from a young age to play classical piano. Even within the more structured confines of classical music, though, Haas has always been an improviser at heart. “I would always get super nervous before competitions or recitals,” […]
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Golden path
Five years ago, he debuted pop-leaning alternative rock tunes that delved into his own identity and religious struggles. Largely unaware that he was even working on an album, he debuted in a stoic, sold-out show at Opolis in Norman, wearing an unassuming gray shirt. These days, Abello often wears little more onstage than a sparkling […]
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High Society
Greg Simkins When Jerrod Smith opened The Society’s doors two years ago, the Plaza District venue was meant to be a community-driven art space that would also function as a studio for himself and a couple of other artists. But, to be honest, he wasn’t sure it would last one year, let alone two. “I […]
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Prettyboy — Dejvická
Abello long has been one of the most talented pure vocalists the state has to offer, but after dabbling in indie folk for a few years (and Christian music in his teens), he’s fully embraced what is an obvious penchant for ’80s-soaked pop tunes. It suits him well. Recorded in the Czech Republic, the two-track […]
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Bolo
Bolo is a punch used by boxers — a wide, sweeping uppercut. It also is the title of Fall Films’ latest local production. We recommend skipping the former and taking the latter. With free beer from Titswiggle Brewing Co. and live music beforehand from local harpist Jessica Tate, Bolo premieres Saturday at City Arts Center. […]
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Various artists — A Blackwatch Christmas Vol. II
A Blackwatch Christmas Vol. II sports some of the biggest local artists yet, with Stardeath and White Dwarfs, Graham Colton and more onboard. The former’s “Santa’s Magic Beard” is gentler than you might expect; well-crafted and tightly arranged, it has all the makings of a holiday classic. Colton’s “Holiday Season” is also a bit of […]