ABOUT
The illustrious Rachel Z & Omar Hakim have both individually cemented their place as groundbreaking artists in both the rock and jazz genres. Rachel Z burst onto the scene.
In 1998 winning a Grammy award and Gold Record as a co-writer on “Tokyo Blue” with saxophonist Najee. Rachel was signed to Columbia Records by the legendary music producer George Butler in the early 1990’s. Around this time, she joined the jazz fusion group “Steps Ahead “with Mike Manieri that had an evolving roster of musicians. In 1997 she won another Grammy for “High Life” with Wayne Shorter. Some of her additional collaborations included Marian McPartland, Stanley Clarke, Lenny White, Regina Carter, Al DiMeola, Terri Lyne Carrington, Tony Levin. Along the way she has also recorded 10 albums as a leader.
An important career highlight including touring and recording as an integral part of Peter Gabriel’s band with his “Growing Up” tours and also with legendary Neopolitan pop star Pino Dianele until his passing in 2015.
Omar Hakim is widely known as a rock and pop, jazz and jazz fusion drummer/producer/composer and arranger. His lengthy associations with Weather Report, Miles Davis, David Bowie, Foo Fighters, Sting, Madonna, Kate Bush, Dire Straits, Daft Punk, Brian Ferry, Michael Jackson, The Pussycat Dolls, Journey and countless others put him in a category that has uniquely imprinted the sound of these artists on both performances and recordings. Omar has recorded on over 100 albums (too many to list)and has extensive producer and composer credits.
Rachel and Omar started combining their explosive talents into their joint projects in 2010 with The Trio of OZ. Their current concoction, includes bassist Jonathan Toscano, guitarist Chogyi Lama, and vocalist Kalena Nash.
They bring their extensive compositional knowledge and their own unique palette of musical experiences to the music of OZmosys. During the process of conceiving the musical approach for their new band, Rachel and Omar have discovered a sound that ranged from the beautiful improvisational intimacy of acoustic trio, but with synthesizer colors and interesting electronica textures. All built on a solid rhythmic foundation inspired by dance, house, funk, world and alternative rock beats found in the music that they love. Rachel says : “The combination of the five of us inspires wildly exciting improvisational conversations without losing the momentum of a strong groove...no matter the style we are exploring”.
On the horizon is a new OZmosys recording and touring adventures in the upcoming months.
For more in-depth information on Rachel and Omar go to their respective websites: rachelz.com and omarhakim.com
RACHEL Z
“a jazz and rock pianist and keyboardist and is considered one of the most influential and versatile musical forces of her generation”
“Rachel Z is an improviser whose spontaneous playing is by no means eclipsed by the work of presiding geniuses such as Herbie Hancock and McCoy Tyner,”
Rachel Z is a spiritual human expressing her light through alternative electronic jazzrock music, composition and production.
*1988 co-wrote the Grammy Award-winning and certified Gold Record "Tokyo Blue" saxophonist Najee.
* From 1988–96 keyboards and piano with fusion band Steps Ahead with vibes player Mike Mainieri.
*1995 Wayne Shorter, on his album High Life, which won a Grammy for Best Contemporary Jazz Album.
*1996 Columbia Records Trust the Universe, Rachel Z Band
*1997 "Room of One's Own – A Tribute to Women Artists" Rachel Z
* NPR Piano Jazz. READ MORE
*Rachel Z performs original pieces, including "Gently Sleeps the Pear Tree" and "Artemisia," and duets with host Marian McPartland in "Autumn Leaves."
*1999, Rachel Z was a part of a jazz fusion project by Stanley Clarke and Lenny White "Vertú",
*2000 Peacebox as a vocalist.
*1996-2015 Neapolitan Italian pop legend Pino Daniele,
*2002-2006 Peter Gabriel Growing Up tours and Hits Live
*2006 "Dept. of Good and Evil"
*2010 withOmar Hakim, The Trio Of OZ
*2012-13 Recorded with Pino Daniele for La Grande Madre Tour in 2012 while also performing OZ tour dates.
*2013–14, Rachel Z recorded with The Omar Hakim Experience.
*2014 recorded and toured with Wayne Escofferey “Live at Firehouse 12”
*2014-16 Terri Lyne Carrington Mosaic 2 "Love and Soul" on Concords Records.
*2015 Neal Schon Vortex/Journey.
*Ozmosys” (Omar and Rachel Z) have released a 5 song EP #Eyesto thefuture vol The group recorded an EP at #PowerStation #BerkleeNYC for release in Nov 2019 with #KurtRosenwinkel on guitar
*2020-2021 Rachel Z earned her Masters at Suny Purchase in Studio Composition and Electronic Music
*2022 recorded, produced, and recorded Luna Lagos an electronic dance artist who performs IDM recordings. These two CDs, A Way of the Word Angelica, will be also released in Dolby Atmos Immersive audio
OMAR HAKIM
Omar Hakim is an American jazz, jazz fusion and pop music virtuoso drummer, producer, arranger and composer. He has worked with Weather Report, David Bowie, Foo Fighters, Sting, Madonna, Dire Straits, Journey, Kate Bush, George Benson, Miles Davis, Daft Punk, Mariah Carey, The Pussycat Dolls, David Lee Roth , Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Stanley Clarke, Sting, Michael Jackson, Bryan Ferry, Sinkane, John Scofield, Nile Rodgers/Chic, The Trio of OZ, and Ozmosys.
Hakim first came to major attention backing Carly Simon in 1980, and joined Weather Report in 1982. He played drums on David Bowie's 1983 album Let's Dance, as well as the follow-up, Tonight, in 1984. Bowie described Hakim as "a fascinating drummer, with impeccable timing" and "always fresh in his approach".
In the mid-1980s, Hakim joined Dire Straits as drummer while recording their fifth album Brothers in Arms. Hakim was also part of the band for Sting's album The Dream of the Blue Turtles.
"By this time, Hakim was teaching himself to program drum machines, which put him in even greater demand as a pop, rock, and R&B session musician, and landed him work with Madonna." He kept working in jazz fusion, playing with Roy Ayers, George Benson, Miles Davis, Lee Ritenour, Joe Sample, David Sanborn, and John Scofield across the 1980s and 1990s. His debut album as leader, Rhythm Deep, was released in 1989, also featured his singing, and was nominated for a Grammy Award.
In the 1990s, Hakim developed further in electronic percussion, which gave him more opportunities as a session musician: he recorded with pop stars Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, and Jewel. His jazz career had faded by the mid-1990s. His second album as leader, The Groovesmith, was released in 2000.
In 2013 Omar performed with Kate Bush at the Hammersmith Apollo for 22 Sold out shows for Before the Dawn. He also performed with Pino Daniele on his final two CDs and tours. On June 18, 2015, Journey announced that Hakim would replaced longtime drummer Deen Castronovo on their Canada tour as well as performing in the opening act Vortex. Hakim was featured on the cover of Modern Drummer in 2014, and was on the cover of DrumHead in 2017.
Hakim became the Chairman of the Percussion Department of Berklee College of Music in 2017-2019.
Photo by John Abbott
Jonathan Toscano
Jonathan Toscano is an emerging bass player enjoying collaborations with world class talent on the international stage.
New York born Toscano’s dynamic style on upright and electric bass has brought him major performing credits with celebrated artists.
Toscano’s collaborators include Gregoire Maret, Steve Wilson, Jeremy Pelt, Billy Kilson, Kader Japonais, Adam Falcon, Richie Morales, Minu Cinelu, Pheeroan Acklaff, and The Cotton Club All-Stars.
Toscano has performed at the Blue Note in Beijing; Winter Jazz Fest in New York City; The X Jazz Fest in Berlin, Germany; the Dobos Festival in Cegled, Hungary; Long Beach Jazz Festival, and the Zadymka Jazz Festival in Bielsko-Biala, Poland.
Currently working with drum master Omar Hakim and virtuoso pianist Rachel Z, Toscano’s harmonic range and percussive feel have made him a sought after man on the bandstand in his early career.
Jonathan Toscano endorses MGBass Guitars and Aguilar Amplifiers.
Chogyi Lama
Introducing 23 year old Guitarist, producer, multi instrumentalist, vocalist, Chogyi Lama.
The addition of NEXTGEN players has brought beautiful new colors and fresh ideas! Woodstock-born, Chogyi, is a new force on his instrument repping the younger generation. He Is the grandson of Richie Havens and has taste, soul, and groove in his prodigious bones! He has performed with Michael Clip Payne (40 year veteran of Parliament Funkadelic and leader of 420 Funk Mob) ,Jayna Nelson’s Musical Mythology,Bad Brains, and Donald Fagen and has his own neo Soul Project called “Karma.” Chogyi is a versatile, multi-instrumentalist, a Shapeshifter, moving intuitively across genres and styles in connection with whatever he is playing. Chogyi is a remarkable young guitar player and person who carries himself with elegance, inner power and humility far beyond his years.
Kalena Nash
Born into jazz royalty, as the talented daughter of drum legend Lewis Nash, it feels like rhythm and jazz genius was programmed into her neural codes. Since attending the new School in 2011-12 she has been busy performing both jazz and theatrical works. She currently creates music for DisneyTV and Sesame Street, as well as programming and synth work in the electronic music realm. Kalena brings a refined musical ear and beautiful vocal sound to Ozmosys. Her poetry will be explored in the band’s multimedia presentations and in her emotional songs which speak to the trials of young people of her generation.