Okonski return with Entrance Music, revealing the flipside of the perpetual afterhours reverie of Magnolia. For their sophomore outing, the trio gently open the curtains to find themselves in the light of a new day, unimpeded by anything that isn’t melody or mood. Entrance Music drifts along like a perfect daydream, homey and lived-in, but maintaining a sense of spontaneity that leaves no doubt pianist Steve Okonski, bassist Michael Isvara “Ish” Montgomery, and drummer Aaron Frazer are attuned to the same ephemeral frequency.
Category: Okonski
Okonski :: Magnolia
Via Asheville, NC, the pensive piano jazz stylings of Steve Okonski. File under nocturne. Released earlier this year, Magnolia’s atmospheric impetus initially stemmed from a late night session in the winter of 2020 followed up by a second week of sessions the following summer. All improvised and recorded live to a Tascam 388, the trio’s (pianist Okonski, double bassist Michael Isvara Montgomery and drummer Aaron Frazer) interplay feels both intuitive and effortless.