OU is a jazz sextet from Rome that plays original compositions with fiercely funky rhythms and a home-made, folk sensibility, topped with lush vocals sung in Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, English, and Sardinian. “Here’s a fun one!” says JazzWeekly, in its review of their new album, Pisces Crisis, going on to praise the group’s “artsy and quirky tunes” that “swing, sway, bounce, and groove with joy.” With Ersilia Prosperi on trumpet, ukulele, and vocals, Sabrina Coda on saxophones and vocals, Martina Fadda on synthesizer and vocals, Luca Venitucci on piano, Hammond B3 organ, Fender Rhodes, and vocals, Claudio Mosconi on electric bass and vocals, and Cristian De Fabritiis on drums, vibraphone, glockenspiel, and vocals, OU plays a thought-provoking blend of jazz and world music bursting with energy and originality.

Amy Denio, who produced the band’s album in Seattle, is not only a record producer but also a composer, singer, multi-instrumentalist, audio engineer, and international collaborator. Derk Richardson of the East Bay Express calls her “a peripatetic purveyor of multitudinous musical delights – her one-woman shows are replete with linguistic gymnastics, instrumental improvisations, and more mood elevators than a year's worth of your favorite pharmaceutical.” The San Francisco Weekly is equally enthusiastic: “a one-of-a-kind performer, this creative-music goddess with the four-octave vocal range mesmerizes as both a versatile composer of offbeat pop tunes, symphonic works, and dance soundtracks, and a one-woman orchestra playing guitar, bass, sax, and accordion.” Since she started making cassette tapes at home in what she calls “the Dark Ages of Analog,” she’s recorded and released more than 35 albums, including both solo projects and collaborations with an array of musicians from around the world. She’s played everywhere from Carnegie Hall to the Venice Biennale to the #3 Metro Bus in Seattle. Tonight’s collaboration promises to be a rich and hearty musical brew.

Trance Mission Trio features three extraordinary multi-instrumentalists and composers – Stephen Kent on didgeridoo, percussion, and cello-sintir, Beth Custer on clarinets and percussion, and Peter Valsamis on drums, percussion, and electronics. These fearless musical trailblazers have mountains of global accolades to their credit, and in this new incarnation they continue the genre-breaking musical journey that Stephen and Beth started in 1991 when they founded Trance Mission. Their live performances crackle with improvisational spirit and humor, and they’re currently at work on their fifth album, slated for release in 2015.

Visit OU's website

Visit Amy Denio's website

Visit Trance Mission Trio's website