Kevin O'Neil
Guitar
Kevin O’Neil teaches acoustic and electric guitar, focusing on jazz, rock, blues and folk styles. He received his B.A. at the Hartt School of Music, earned his Master’s at Wesleyan University and completed his Ph.D at the University of Southampton, United Kingdom, where he studied music composition. Kevin is also an adjunct professor at Tunxis Community College in Farmington, where he teaches music history and appreciation as well as a jazz improvisation course that he created and added to the curriculum.
As a performer, Kevin enjoys being a freelance guitarist and has recorded many CDs through the years with Anthony Braxton, Klezmer clarinetist David Krakauer, saxophonist Steve Lehman and others.
Anthony Braxton is one of Kevin’s “biggest mentors and a real inspiration. “ Kevin worked with Mr. Braxton at Wesleyan, performing and recording his original music, from large ensembles to a jazz quartet (which focused on standards and the music of jazz pianist, Andrew Hill). Kevin was lucky enough to perform with this great African-American composer and multi-instrumentalist throughout the U.S. and Europe, recording close to a dozen CDs with him.
When you ask Kevin about music, he will tell you, “I knew music was my calling from a very young age, so I never considered another career. I started like most guitar players by taking lessons at a local music store, and then in my teenage years, I started playing in rock bands. When I was 21, I made a record/CD with a rock band for Geffen records, so that’s when my professional career officially began. There are days when I take a break from playing the guitar, but even on those days (which are rare), I will be listening to music or composing.”
