Oakley 'O.G.' Grenell - Featured Artist - May 2008

oakley og grenell Urban Jazz Hiphop
www.myspace.com/centralrecords
Contact: Oakley Grenell
Central Records

Multi musical talent and son of the south Oakley ‘O.G.’ Grenell is CHART's Featured Artist for NZ Music Month 2008. O.G. released his stunning sophmore album Moving On on April 2008, the product of three years work, culminating in a solid 15 track record of some of the finest crafted NZ hip-hop, soul and jazz cuts.

Moving On is the second album to be released under his solo production moniker O.G. following on from 2002’s Jaded EP and 2003’s debut L.P. Uncharted. Since 2002 Oakley has been the source of a constant stream of jazz inspired musical treats, being the initiator of the Departure Lounge and Otautahi Allstars bands and producer of hip-hop reggae dancehall crew, The Eskimo Squad.

Grenell – the son of one of New Zealand’s most successful musicians, country legend John Hore Grenell (who sold an outstanding 100,000 records by age 19) and brother of Shapeshifter’s powerhouse drummer Redford Grenell – is also co-organiser of the I-Nation music festival and director of his own record label, Central Records.

Moving On sees him collaborating with some exciting new talents and celebrated vocalists from across the UK, Australia and New Zealand. Stepping up with O.G. are singers Mark Vanilau, Mara TK, LA Mitchell, Spikey Tee, Charmed 1 and world class MCs Dynamite MC, KP, Switch, Wacklar and Voodoo Child. The album was mastered by UK Grammy Award winner George Lambert (Alicia Keys, Busta Rhymes, Tribe Called Quest) and mixed by b-Net award winner The Nomad.

This record is also the result of years of production technique experimentation. Through a combination of sampling his bands’ live performances, past releases, and recording live drum elements and his own handy work on the guitar, Grenell manages to avoid the need to clear samples and gives the album a well produced organic sound that he is fast becoming known for.

The proof is in the pudding however and is now unleashed to New Zealand ears, distributed by Rhythmethod.

A pre-release party was held at Auckland's Khuja Lounge, Saturday April 19, with O.G. spinning the new album live with MC KP (Sunshine Soundsystem) toasting over the works. A full New Zealand tour is scheduled for June.

O.G 'Moving On' Vinyl Ep out 14/4/08
O.G 'Moving On' Album released 21/4/08

Listen to Moving On HERE

Catch O.G live with Mark Vanilau at the KiwiFM Soul Roots Stage at CHARTFEST, ChCh Town Hall, Fri 23 May 2008.

Listen to O.G.'s CHART interview on MySpace.

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Groove Guide Album review by Matt Risley 30/4/08
Oakley 'O.G' Grenell Moving On 4 stars (****)

With a musical pedigree that Lennon would be envious of, (son of NZ's county legend John Hore Grenell and brother of Shapeshifter's Redford) it's not surprising that Oakley 'O.G' Grenell's sophomore album is bursting a the seems with variety and creativity. While the album has an underlying jazz groove, O.G mixes in dub, reggae, breaks, roots, hip hop and soul to make each track refreshingly individual. Early tracks 'Moving On' and 'Hydration' combing sparse jazz drums tinges of break beats and brilliantly soulful voices to great effect, and it's these collaborations that really help the album soar. With English, Jamaican and established Kiwi hip hop collaborators, the album has a truly international flavor. O.G has produced an organic sound that melts genres and styles into something of his own.

O.G 'Moving On' 4 track Vinyl Ep out 14/4/08
O.G 'Moving On' Album released 21/4/08
O.G 'Moving On' no.2 on Alt Chart 27/4/08
O.G 'Day in the life' ft. Dynamite MC no.6 George Fm top 10 27/4/08
O.G 'Moving On' 4 star (****) review Groove Guide 27/4/08