OK Cello

From the venue:

“Hereness is the first of all sacred things.” - OkCello 
Okorie “OkCello” Johnson is an American cellist-songwriter whose artistry integrates cello performance, live-sound-looping, improvisation, and storytelling - all culminating in original compositions that collide classical with jazz, EDM, reggae, and funk. 
His music is inspired by the exploration of African Diasporic melodies and narratives and their intersection with people’s perceptions and assumptions about the classical and European nature of the cello.  As well, his work with improvisation attempts to embody the phenomenon of wordless prayer.
In September 2022, Okorie OkCello Johnson was one of the presenters at the Democratic Republic of the Congo Biennale for his proposal of a sound installation project entitled “Vessel of Breath,” a meditative cello composition comprised of harvested sound, collaborative compositions, and community interviews.