Pat O’Brien is perhaps a common name, but this name is possessed
by a most uncommon musician. The man of whom I speak was born and raised in
Over the past twenty years or so,
the multi-instrumentalist has cultivated a career and reputation as a sought
after teacher, session player and performer. Among the more celebrated of Pat’s
students have been the Eisner’s (family of then Disney CEO), actresses Sarah
Gilbert and Lecy Goranson, best known for their roles as the teenaged daughters
on the “Roseanne,” and actress Charlene Tilton, (to name a few). He was asked
(and he accepted) to play on two albums of Jazz-Fusion guru, Scott Henderson.
One of these albums (“Dog Party”) was voted Guitar Player magazine’s Blues
Album of the Year, edging out B. B. King and Eric Clapton for the honor that
year. O’Brien has also toured
This brings us to discussion of Pat
O’Brien's performances. The genre that Pat usually uses to express himself is
the Blues, though he demonstrates proficiency in Rock, Jazz, Country, Rockabilly
and Ambient styles of music. I have never seen another artist do what he does
with his level of virtuosity. His unique style of performing often involves
simultaneously playing guitar and harmonica, not in the primitive wheezing and
strumming fashion that you might have seen in the past, but in a highly
developed way that seamlessly blends the two instruments as if from one mind,
which of course, it is. Playing intricate solos on harmonica while comping
(accompanying) on guitar, comping on harmonica while soloing on guitar, playing
point, counterpoint and unison phrases on both, O’Brien does all this with an
effortless ease that belies the level of difficulty. His soulful vocals along with those of his world class drummer Jimmy Volpe (and
a rotating series of bass players) completes his power trio, “Pat
O’Brien and the Priests of Love.”
The band is currently playing venues
primarily on the West Coast and