Steve Okonski

Magnolia introduces Steve Okonski as more than a sideman from the wider Durand Jones & The Indications orbit: this is a quietly hypnotic piano-trio statement with real atmosphere, patience, and emotional weight. Recorded for Colemine with bassist Michael Isvara “Ish” Montgomery and drummer Aaron Frazer, the album leans into jazz without showing off, favoring touch, space, and tone over virtuoso excess. The result is intimate and cinematic, a set of reflective instrumentals that drifts between spiritual jazz hush, soul-jazz warmth, and the kind of dusky, after-hours mood that rewards focused vinyl listening. Magnolia is especially compelling for collectors who love records that reveal more with every spin: the phrasing opens up, the rhythm section breathes, and Okonski’s melodic sense keeps everything grounded in feeling rather than flash. Elegant, understated, and beautifully recorded, this LP is a small gem with a long afterglow.