Harold O’Neal

Harold O’Neal is a world renowned and prolific Pianist, Composer, Artist, Storyteller. The New York Times has compared his piano playing to Duke Ellington and Maurice Ravel. During O’Neal’s career, he has recorded his own critically acclaimed solo albums. O’Neal has collaborated with many jazz legends as well as contemporary artists such as U2, Bob Geldof, Lupe Fiasco, Jay-Z and more. He even portrayed a piano playing hepcat in HBO’s “Boardwalk Empire." In 2020, O’Neal collaborated with Pixar as a creative expert for the storytelling for their film Soul which won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Film, at the 2021 Oscars. O’Neal was the featured musician at the awarding of the Benjamin Franklin Medal to Herbie Hancock, and O’Neal himself was awarded a prestigious fellowship at the Royal Society of the Arts, alongside fellows Stephen Hawking, David Attenborough, Marie Curie, and Charles Dickens.

O’Neal has a unique perspective of the world and is passionate about making change through the insights of the creative process. He is world-renowned for developing his signature style of solo piano, being a fusion of early 20th century composers and modern music, and has the distinct talent to find the level of sameness through multiple disciplines. He is a storytelling aficionado who expertly navigates and inspires us through the chaos of jazz and life. Aside from a lauded musical career, he holds a black belt in the martial arts, is an accomplished dancer, and has a unique ability to unlock creativity in whatever he pursues.