Episode #102: Oddity

Hailing from the East Bay, Oddity is a sonic storyteller seeking refuge in the intersections of jazz, hip-hop, and neo-soul. With influences ranging from Billy Strayhorn to D'angelo, Oddity can be found wherever inspiration strikes - be it a tender touch on a warm Rhodes, a heavy dilla-style backbeat, or a bluesy trombone melody. Oddity’s story is one of resiliency and rebirth, of toeing the precipice of the abyss and returning with an open heart and a present mind. Her experience as a transgender woman of color is inextricably woven into the music: at once an affirmation of life, a tear-streaked lament, a desperate call to action. Join Oddity as she discovers the beauty and cultivates peace by centering love, against all odds. Joey Escobar is a pianist, teacher, composer, and arranger with a degree in music from UC Berkeley. Growing up with 10 siblings, Joey's upbringing gave him a strong appreciation for both community and diversity. His earliest influences were the music of JRPG composers like Nobuo Uematsu, Hitoshi Sakimoto, and Masashi Hamauzu, and the 90s hip-hop sounds, 70s rock, and jazz played in the house by his older siblings and parents. His latest inspirations are the classical music of Bach, Maurice Ravel, and Frederic Chopin, as well as modern geniuses such as Kendrick Lamar, Ambrose Akinmusire, and Esperanza Spalding. He currently lives in El Cerrito and is most known for being the co-composer and pianist with Oddity. If you enjoyed this episode please make sure to subscribe, follow, rate, and/or review this podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, ect. Connect with us on all social media platforms and at www.improvexchange.com