Oli Rockberger
@ the PizzaExpress Jazz Club
18 November 2013

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Biography

Whether you first discover Oli Rockberger through his work as a singer-songwriter, producer, arranger, keys sideman, or as 1/3rd of acclaimed electronic trio Mister Barrington, you’ll be sure to find a distinctive musical voice running through the rich and varied work he does. Londoner Rockberger, who currently lives in NY, first came to the US to take up a Full Scholarship to attend the prestigious Berklee College of Music (’99 – ’04). Since then, he has shared stages and studios with musical icons Levon Helm, Steve Gadd, Will Lee and Jackie DeShannon, Grammy winners Randy Brecker, Jesse Harris and John Mayer, jazz luminaries Les McCann and Charlie Hunter, and hip-hop royalty Common and Queen Latifa.

Current projects include performing and recording with Randy Brecker, and bass legend Will Lee, both of whom will be releasing albums this year which feature co-writes and performances by the versatile Rockberger. Other recent highlights include a feature on Chris Dave's “Chris Dave and the Drumhedz Mix Tape” on a track alongside Grammy Winner Robert Glasper, as well as contributing keys to the forthcoming album “Another Life” by master-song craftsman James Maddock, with whom Oli performs and records regularly. He also continues to tour and record with the innovative “Mister Barrington” alongside Zach Danziger (drums/production) and Owen Biddle (bass/production). Recent highlights for the group include a feature in Electronic Musician and a TEDx Presentation at Amherst College entitled “Innovative Thinking.”

Rockberger’s latest Singer/Songwriter album “Old Habits” (co-produced by Oli and Chris Abell, released March '13), was described by London Jazz as “a monument to be relished in the border territory of jazz and pop”. Back in February, the UK’s most popular jazz station Jazz FM named “Old Habits” as their album of the week, and Rockberger’s popular track “Queen of Evasion” was subsequently added to the station’s regular rotation.