Award-winning pianist and organist Luke Carlos O’Reilly’s style is heavily inspired by Jazz, Soul, R&B, Gospel, Latin Jazz, and Classical. Originally from Boston, O’Reilly moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to attend Esther Boyer School of Music at Temple University on an academic and music scholarship. He has toured and recorded with artists such as Seal, Roy Ayers, Curtis Fuller, Nicholas Payton, Dave Valentin, Billy Paul, Bobby Watson, Slide Hampton, Fred Wesley, Macy Gray, and many others.
The artist has three solo albums to his name; ‘Living In The Now’ (Prospect Hill Records 2011), ‘3 Suites’ (Prospect Hill Records 2013), and his latest release, ‘I Too, Sing America: A Black Man’s Diary’ (Imani Records 2021). All three albums comprise original compositions, with some of his earlier works including arrangements of Stevie Wonder, The Beatles, Cedar Walton, Mulgrew Miller, Janet Jackson and SWV. In 2018, he was named an ‘Artist In Residence’ at The Kimmel Center For The Performing Arts in Philadelphia, PA. It was this residency that led to the creation of his latest release, which is a Black Lives Matter-themed suite of music. Check out his video below with videographer Torian Ugworji and Movement Artist: Sanchel Brown
His fourth album, ‘Leave the Gate’ is now available via Imani Records, the record label directed by Philadelphia pianist and impresario Orrin Evans. This sterling document of his chemistry with two rhythm sections — bassists Vicente Archer and Matt Parrish, as well as drummers Little John Roberts and Jerome Jennings, was released on February 14th, 2024. Discussing the project, O’Reilly shares, “I’ve been lucky enough to work with a lot of great, musicians…All these songs are dedications to people who have been really influential in my musical journey.”
For further information on Luke Carlos O’Reilly, please visit his website.
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