New Release from Oz Noy, Riverside

Oz Noy, Ray Marchica and Ugonna Okegwo present Riverside, a new trio recording out today, January 21, 2022 via Outside in Music.

Their first release as a trio, Riverside is a fresh, life-affirming collection of standards that stems from the group’s spontaneously assembled outdoor jams held in Riverside Park, New York City during lockdown.

“Billie’s Bounce” is given a makeover by Noy, who ‘figured out a way to play it as a ballad, a slow blues harmonized in a different way’. “Riverside Blues” adds another dimension to the record, a shuffling 12/8 blues-rock written at one of the jams in the park. 

As individuals, this dynamic trio has a wide range of performing credits – Okegwo as a celebrated sideman with Jacky Terrasson and Tom Harrell, Marchica as a Broadway and session player (plus two albums as a leader) and Noy as one of fusion’s most sought after individual voices. All three have worked on the New York scene for the past two decades, so when the COVID-19 lockdown hit, it was a huge blow to both their livelihoods and their creative spirits. Then, summer came around, and the chance presented itself for housebound musicians to meet up and play outdoors. Oz called upon his neighbors Ugonna and Ray and invited them down to the park for a jam session – Ugonna on upright, Marchica with a small drum set, and Noy on electric guitar, with a battery-powered amp. 

The sessions went on through the summer months until the weather turned in October. But instead of packing up entirely, the group went into the studio, satisfied that they had created  a sound, and a feeling amongst the group. “It saved me, it saved all of us – musically and mentally,” says Marchica.

Check out the new release!

Subscribe to Jazz Guitar Today – it’s FREE!