Green Mountain Guild
October 10 - 11, 20187:00 - 9:00Musically, Jason O’Neill-Butler is a renaissance man: equally deft on bass, flute, and piano, regardless of whether he is writing original music or working as a sideman. His musical journey has been eclectic, culminating in his most recent project, The Green Mountain Guild. The name “Green Mountain Guild” was passed down by his parents, who in the early seventies struck out for rural Vermont to create a back-to- the-land theater company. This flourished for almost three decades under the same name. It was there, as a young child that Jason would first fall in love with his lifelong passion, music. Patiently waiting for rehearsals to end, he would slip in and experiment on the piano for hours on end.
The piano, although important for composing, has always played an accompanying role to his voice. Singing is what gives him a sense of joy, calm and focus. He began his performing career at the age of nine and quit theater when he turned 16, focusing solely on music. Folk, jazz, art rock, gospel, classical, minimalism, indie pop, experimental, ambient, he has wandered through a menagerie of genres and come out the other side still holding true to his own sound yet carrying a treasure chest of identifiable sonic elements gleaned from his journey. He has been performing in the Pacific Northwest for 20 years and has a catalogue of fifteen recordings both as a sideman and composer.
His captivating compositions hold just as much for listeners as they do for the composer. Floating over his electric piano, Jason’s soothing voice creates a warm, cozy ambiance that lulls listeners into the world of the songs; gentle, soothing folk and soul inspired pop ballads in the vein of Rufus Wainwright, or Nick Drake. It is music that evokes roaring fireplaces, intimate conversations with close friends, and the dizzying haze of love, and would seem equally at home humming from the car stereo on wistful night drives, or serenading lovers in an intimate setting.
