2022 JUNO Award Winner MICHAEL OCCHIPINTI is a sound sculpting guitarist, composer, arranger, and educator who has spent decades freely moving between jazz, popular song, chamber music, Sicilian, Indian, and Turkish music, rhythm and blues, funk, and experimental music. An eleven-time JUNO Award nominee celebrated nationally for his fearlessness in imagining and realizing new projects, Michael leads several acclaimed groups including ES:MO, his 2022 JUNO nominated duo with singer/pianist Elizabeth Shepherd, The Sicilian Jazz Project, In Orbit (featuring Jeff Coffin and Felix Pastorius), Shine On: The Universe of John Lennon, his 5-time JUNO nominated 16-piece group NOJO (Neufeld-Occhipinti Jazz Orchestra), and a new quartet with clarinet virtuoso Don Byron. Michael won the 2022 JUNO for Jazz Group of The Year as a member of the group Avataar.
The range of Michael's musical interests is best illustrated by the many celebrated individuals and groups Michael has performed with or written music for, including Bruce Cockburn, Don Byron, Sam Rivers, The Gryphon Trio, Ari Hoenig, The Cecilia String Quartet, DVSN, Joe Lovano, Quartetto Gelato, The Toronto Symphony, Laila Biali, L'Orchestre national de jazz de Montréal , The Art of Time Ensemble, Avataar, Minor Empire, The 21C Festival of Contemporary Music, and The Ward Cabaret. A tireless musician dedicated to taking Canadian music out into the world, Michael’s groups have performed at The Umbria Jazz Festival (Italy), the Festival Cultural de Zacatecas (Mexico), the Jazz Yatra (India), The Stranger Than Paranoia Festival (Netherlands), and The Jazz Standard (USA). In autumn 2025, Michael will release a new album with ES:MO and with In Orbit.
Michael Occhipinti is a dedicated educator and is on staff at Centennial College, the Oscar Peterson School at the Royal Conservatory of Music, York University, and formerly taught at McMaster University and Humber College. Michael served as Artistic Director for five years at Lakefield Music Camp, and is the former Artistic Director for The Markham Jazz Festival. Michael is currently programming music in Toronto for Hugh’s Room Live.
ES:MO - “The first advance track is a cover of William Bell's "Any Other Way," which was made famous in the '60s by Toronto's trailblazing soul singer Jackie Shane. On their cover, Shepherd and Occhipinti retain the song's soulful leanings, adding touches of country and jazz. Shepherd's voice is as clear as a bell, and especially soothing as she dips low in her range to intone the titular "any other way" at the end of each chorus. Occhipinti takes an expansive solo that makes us pine for the days when many songs included them.” CBC MUSIC.
THE SICILIAN JAZZ PROJECT: “This is really why we listen to music: to be surprised and lifted up, stripped of our preconceptions and left breathless by hearing something brand new.” Bill Bentley-Sonic Boomer.
NOJO: “A Canadian band that is one of the most imaginative large ensembles on the current jazz scene…the real fascination of the album is the work of the co-leaders, compelling in virtually every composition, and often free of the sectionalized approach to instrumentation typical of most big-band writing.” Don Heckman Los Angeles Times.
IN ORBIT: “They blew everyone away! Supergroup is a term that’s thrown around all too often, but In Orbit are an authentic example of musical synergy. The lineup features names that will get your attention on first glance, and the music these guys put together is powerful, funky, and out of this world! Can’t wait to book them again.” Paul Hinrichs, Kaslo Jazz Etc. Festival.
Courses:
- Private Lessons
- Ensemble