THE OLSON PINGREY QUARTET
ABOUT THE BAND
Boston’s most alphabetical jazz group, the Olson Pingrey Quartet (AKA the OPQ) is led by the husband and wife team of Randy Pingrey and Kathy Olson. This chord-less quartet fronted by baritone saxophone and trombone plays a mix of originals and inventive arrangements of standards.
The OPQ’s first album “Low Contrast” was reviewed in Cadence Magazine where Jerome Wilson called it “a fresh and fun slant on some classic materials” and that the tunes “have a clipped interplay and strutting beauty that brings to mind Mulligan dueling with Bob Brookmeyer, a nice bled of low tones over a high-stepping rhythm section.”
The members of this Boston-based group perform regularly in the greater Boston area and throughout New England.
CONTACT
If you’re interested in booking the Olson Pingrey Quartet or if you’d like more information about the band please contact Kathy Olson at (617)959-9708 or send an email to kathyolsonmusic@gmail.com.
LISTEN
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT THE OPQ:
“..interplay and strutting beauty that brings to mind Mulligan dueling with Bob Brookmeyer, a nice bled of low tones over a high-stepping rhythm section…This is a fresh and fun slant on some classic materials.”
-Jerome Wilson, Cadence Magazine
“The Olson Pingrey Quartet creates a fresh sounding collection of pieces that both recognizes the tradition (of which they are both masters) and yet stretches the contemporary boundaries of jazz. It’s one you’ll want to hear again and again.”
–Tom Plsek, Chair Brass Department, BerkleeCollege of Music
“The quartet, which is based in Boston, is rooted in the jazz tradition, but the group is very much about stretching — and even crossing — the boundaries of that tradition. You’ll hear what I mean in two of my favorite tracks from the CD, “Blues for Mac” and “Stone Age Rumba.” Both songs reinvent traditional forms in exciting and creative ways.”
– John Edwin Mason, Associate Professor, University of Virginia
“ I listened to your CD and it knocked me out! I love it! The writing, the playing the sound, the group chemistry…beautiful! You and Randy have such a unique sound together. And the rhythm section is killin’! Thanks for sharing this with me. You’ve really got a great thing going with this quartet, my dear! Congratulations!”
–Pete Spaar, Professor of Jazz and Double Bass, University of Virginia
“Kathy, …I wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed your CD! You’ve got such a terrific range of tone and emotional expression on the bari. It’s really terrific work, and it makes me so proud to hear you! I keep your CD on my desk and pop it in from time to time. It makes me smile!”
– Matthew Butterfield, Department Chair, Associate Professor of Music, Franklin & MarshallCollege
BIOS
Kathy Olson is a jazz baritone saxophonist based in the Boston area but originally from Charleston, West Virginia. On the baritone saxophone, alto saxophone, flute, clarinet, or bass clarinet Kathy has performed and/or recorded a variety of styles from contemporary big band to indie rock. In addition to co-leading the Olson Pingrey Quartet, Ms. Olson also leads Achilles Heal Saxophone Quartet which performs new music by Boston-based jazz composers including Ms. Olson, Randy Pingrey, Rick Stone, Danny Fratina, Ayn Inserto, Brian Friedland and others. In addition to leading her own groups she also performs regularly as a freelance musician with groups throughout New England including among others the Ayn Inserto Jazz Orchestra, Conical Cacophony, The Two Bari Band, and Pete Kenagy’s Monkfish Jazz Orchestra. She is currently an assistant professor at Berklee College of Music teaching theory classes for the Harmony Department.
Randy Pingrey is a jazz trombonist based in Boston. He is originally from Wisconsin and his career got kick-started by the exciting indie-rock scene in Eau Claire, where he was an early member of the Grammy-award winning band Bon Iver. Since moving to the East Coast he has performed and recorded with jazz musicians like Frank Carlberg, Bill McHenry, Anthony Coleman, and Jerry Bergonzi, with indie rock bands like Akron Family, Land of Talk, and Mega Faun, and with classical musicians like Norman Bolter, John Faieta, and Doug Wright. He can be heard on CDs for the Tzadik, Saddle Creek, Red Piano, and Jagjaguwar labels. He is also a regular performer with the latin band Ritmo Masacote, the Beantown Swing Orchestra, and the Metal and Glass Ensemble. Randy’s other projects include a trombone duo with Tom Plsek, the Randy Pingrey Trio which is a group that explores the boundaries between improvised and experimental music, and a solo trombone project.
Randy also teaches harmony and music theory. He is an assistant professor at Berklee College of Music teaching theory classes in the Harmony Dept.
VIDEOS:
OPQ at Cafe 939 Berklee- Overtime by Randy Pingrey
July 26th 2022
Randy Pingrey- trombone
Kathy Olson- bari sax
Fernando Huergo- bass
Austin McMahon- drums
OPQ at Ryles Jazz Club- “Upside Down” by Randy Pingrey
May 26th 2015
Kathy Olson- bari sax
Randy Pingrey- trombone
Keala Kaumeheiwa- bass
Austin McMahon- drums
Olson Pingrey Duo- “Tygart Valley” by Kathy Olson
February 11th 2015
Kathy Olson- bari sax
Randy Pingrey- trombone
DOWNLOADS
The Olson Pingrey Quartet 