Mr. Ho’s Orchestrotica

From “Mr. Ho” to the word “Orchestrotica”, a name can kick off many questions. Maybe you’re wondering what the heck an “Orchestrotica” is? Wondering if it is…appropriate…or perhaps Korean? You’re not the first!

Orchestrotica is a vehicle to explore the music inside Brian O’Neill, the quintet’s artistic director, percussionist/vibist, composer, and arranger with help from ensemble counterparts Geni Skendo (bass flute, flute, contrabass flute, shakuhachi), Tev Stevig (oud, resonator guitar, cümbüş), Jeremy Smith (percussion), and Michael Harrist (bass). These gentlemen share Brian’s appetite for an adventure that is accompanied by what sounds like—at least to their ears—a global jazz and exotic chamber music soundtrack. Today they describe it to audiences as a “a story-driven mashup of global jazz and classical adaptations.

“The Orchestrotica has released three albums in its Exotica for Modern Living series, all of which have received critical international acclaim including a “four star” review from the Sunday London Times, and two “Top 10 Albums of the Year” awards from the Huffington Post. AllAboutJazz once said, “O’Neill may be, in the long run, a better exoticist than [John] Zorn,” and his music with the Orchestrotica has been featured in film and on stages in Canada, Mexico, Germany, and across the United States.

As for the “Mr. Ho,” it’s an acronym. Perhaps you’ll have the opportunity to ask Brian in person for the details. Or, keep imagining the meaning for yourself. That’s really the spirit of the music.