Steve Okonski // The Eisenberg Review Interview
With Entrance Music, Steve Okonski deepens the patient, evocative style he introduced on Magnolia, delivering a record that feels both unhurried and fully realized. There’s a quiet confidence here, as Okonski, bassist Michael Isvara Montgomery, and drummer Aaron Frazer settle into a free-flowing chemistry—letting improvised melodies unfold with the fluid grace of spiritual jazz while maintaining the raw warmth of analog soul.
Tracked live to tape at Colemine label head Terry Cole’s Portage Lodge, the album breathes with natural resonance, the trio’s interplay doing most of the talking while the room mic captures the nuances of their dynamic push and pull. It’s a record that rewards deep listening, revealing new shades of color and tone with every spin.
I caught up with Okonski to discuss the evolution of the project’s sound, the group’s intuitive connection, and the process of shaping Entrance Music.