Johnny O'Neal

by Scott YanowA fine pianist influenced by Oscar Peterson, Johnny ONeal actually started his career playing gospel piano in church while a teenager. Inspired by Peterson, Art Tatum, and Bud Powell, ONeal started exploring jazz in 1976 and after impressing Ray Brown, found his way into Milt Jacksons group. Other important jobs followed (with Sonny Stitt, Eddie Lockjaw Davis, and Buddy DeFranco), and in 1982, ONeal moved to New York and soon recorded his debut with Concord. After playing regularly with Clark Terry, he was a member of Art Blakeys Jazz Messengers (1982-1983) and has mostly led his own groups ever since. Johnny ONeal has recorded as a leader for Concord, Parkwood, and Justin Time (1995), taking three effective vocals on the latter set.