I have heard him play and I have heard him speak. Grace is a gift, an expression of favor and a kind of charm that reaches far and above to embrace all and leave none behind. Oliver Jones is Grace and graced. The piano as he plays it embraces and welcomes you. I feel this is a purity of intent.
From the keyboard comes not a single ignoble voice, only color and brilliance of light that reaches your ear and delights as equally as it engages. He is Dr. Jones with a legacy of artistry that spans the globe. The piano is as if his pulpit, it is from where he tells the stories and his stories, from where he gives those stories with much wit and great wisdom.
A musical griot, he is a beacon for and of the Black music community in Canada and beyond. His message in his music is as clear as a bell, it speaks of being true to oneself and that shared is the favor, the flavors, and the colors of Grace.