The Occasion

Emerging from the New York vicinity as a fleeting ensemble, the Occasion put out a pair of critically admired records during their existence and evoked echoes of Brian Wilson, Pink Floyd, and John Cale. Once their roster and instrumental roles had stabilized, the group began experimenting with the idea of avoiding a single dominant vocalist. Instead, the singing duties rotated among pianist Brent Cordero, guitarist Jordi Wheeler, and drummer Charles Burst. Completing the lineup were Sara Shaw, who handled tape loops and percussion, along with bassist Marlon Sporer. The Occasion issued their debut self-titled album in 2004, which was succeeded by Cannery Hours the following year. Shortly thereafter the band disbanded, leading Sporer to join Jeremiah Rifles, Shaw to Effi Briest, and Wheeler along with Burst to collaborate musically with Mike Wexler.