Scientific research and anecdotal evidence have made it clear that
music can be a healing force. That intersection music and science is a two-way
street. Look no further than Tampa-based jazz pianist John C. O’Leary III, who has
composed music that is inspired by science. In this case, it reflects aspects
of his research as a neuroscientist.
This
Mexican-born performer has had a hybrid educational life. He attended the
University of South Florida where he studied tuba, jazz piano and biochemistry.
He graduated with a B.A. in jazz piano performance, a minor in tuba performance,
and an honors thesis in biochemistry. He then earned a Ph.D. in neuroscience. For
his doctoral dissertation, he researched a group of proteins termed
“chaperones” and their effects on the development of neurological diseases, including
Alzheimer’s, and stress-related psychiatric diseases.
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| John O'Leary |
Ultimately,
his love of jazz piano shifted his career track. He’s the pianist in the fine
Tampa Bay Area-based trio La Lucha, which also includes bassist Alejandro
Arenas and drummer Mark Feinman. But O’Leary’s interest in neuroscience
inspired his 2018 solo recording project, CRISPR
(Gamma Rhythm Music), which bridges his twin interests.
The
repeating melody that runs through the title track, with slight variations,
acknowledges the impact of CRISPR, an acronym for “clustered regularly
interspaced short palindromic repeats.” These
DNA base pairs are found many forms of bacteria. CRISPR technology is used to destroy
viruses and otherwise improve health through gene editing. O’Leary said he considers
it the most significant scientific development in this new century.
Another
composition, “Polymorphism,” is built around the idea that a shift of just one
note can make a dramatic change the feeling of a piece of music, just as a change
in one protein in the body can have major consequences on one’s health. His
blues, “Gamma Frequency,” reflects the research that exposure to gamma rays can
impact goal-oriented behavior.
The
afternoon’s tour-de-force was his composition “Edna Welsch.” The instrumental
was commissioned by a grandchild to remember and capture the inner beauty of a
woman who died from Alzheimer’s It began
as light and upbeat, then grew progressively darker and brooding, before resolving
with an ending segment that, while a bit different from the opening, had a
sense of peace and beauty.
“The
opening melody expresses her young, vibrant life,” O’Leary said, “then it
becomes more angular and depressing, and in its final stage, she has moved on
to the next life.” A listener could also interpret the ending as resolving with
the memories that friends and relatives retain of her vibrant years.
O’Leary
shared his science-and-music perspective on June 15, at the Charlotte Symphony
Orchestra’s Medical Grand Rounds lecture series. Several times a year, the
medical forum focuses on different aspects of the links between music and
medicine.
The
prior evening, La Lucha performed at JD’s Bistro in Port Charlotte, performing
originals and jazz standards flavored with the band’s adventurous touches. One
gem, “Cheek to Cheek,” opened with the standard melody before O’Leary inserted
Latin clave and blues interludes.
