marty o'reilly & the old soul orchestra

Biography

Marty (Martin) O'Reilly, born June 18, 1989, in the California Bay Area, discovered his passion for music in his teens after his parents bought him a guitar, quickly progressing from poetry that felt like lyrics to songwriting once he learned chords. From a long line of writers, he studied music in college in his native California, where he connected with early collaborators and honed his skills under guitar teachers who taught him gigging and performance. The Old Soul Orchestra formed unofficially in 2012 during a trio gig with violinist Chris Lynch and bassist Jeff Kissell, leading to their self-titled live EP and full-length debut Pray for Rain (2014), recorded on tape with a raw roots sound.[2][1][4]

The band expanded with drummer Matt Goff after Pray for Rain's success, relentless touring, and lineup changes—Ben Berry replacing Kissell on upright bass—culminating in Stereoscope (2018) and Signal Fires (2021). O'Reilly's style blends roots Americana, delta blues, Howlin' Wolf-inspired grit, Tom Waits' catharsis, and Radiohead's experimental arrangements, delivered via electrified resonator guitar, soulful vocals, evocative lyrics, and telepathic band interplay described as cosmic and psychedelic indie rock reprised in blues form. Santa Cruz-based, they headlined festivals like High Sierra, BottleRock, and Outside Lands, opening for acts like Shakey Graves and St. Paul & The Broken Bones.[2][3][5][6]

The Old Soul Orchestra disbanded in summer 2022, after which O'Reilly continued solo touring with rotating players, self-funding albums and building a dedicated following through relentless road work. A solo record was anticipated around 2024, with O'Reilly embracing every aspect of music from writing to booking, while recently appearing on The Voice Season 28. His legacy endures in mature songcraft like 'Cold Canary Gaslight' and covers such as 'Smokestack Lightning,' prioritizing personal artistic expression over Americana safety.[2][7][6]

Fun Facts

• The band's name 'Old Soul Orchestra' originated when the original trio (O'Reilly, Lynch, Kissell) produced so many sounds from few instruments it felt like a full orchestra.[5]
• They had cops called on them while arranging Stereoscope in a remote Santa Cruz Mountains cabin due to their intense musical explorations.[5]
• O'Reilly wrote 'The Captain’s Daughter Part 1' for the debut album about lovers on a lost ship; fan demand led to 'Part 2' as a 2020 single.[2][5]
• The band unofficially formed for a 2012 gig requiring a trio, with its live recording becoming their first self-titled EP.[2]

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Saul Kaye - early guitar teacher who influenced playing and performance (pre-college gigs) [teens]
• Sean Carscadden - guitar teacher and duo partner who taught gigging and more than guitar (duo project shows) [pre-college]

Key Collaborators

• Chris Lynch - violinist, keys; co-founder and long-term bandmate (all albums including Pray for Rain (2014), Stereoscope (2018), Signal Fires (2021)) [2012-2022]
• Jeff Kissell - original upright bassist; helped form the band (self-titled EP (2012), Pray for Rain (2014)) [2012-~2014]
• Ben Berry - upright bassist replacing Kissell (Stereoscope (2018), Signal Fires (2021)) [~2014-2022]
• Matt Goff - drummer/percussionist who joined post-debut (Stereoscope (2018), Signal Fires (2021)) [~2015-2022]

External Links

• Spotify