Ozmosys (NextGen) 2022 is an innovative jazz-rock quartet that features Omar Hakim on drums, Rachel Z Hakim on the keys, Jonathan Toscano on bass and Chogyi Lama on guitar.
Omar Hakim (born February 12, 1959) is an American 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.[2] 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 of 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, replacing the previous Department Chair, John Ramse.
Rachel Z is a spiritual human expressing her light through alternative electronic jazz rock music, composition and production. She is "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", opined John Fordham in The Guardian.
In 1988 Rachel co-wrote the Grammy Award-winning "Tokyo Blue" with saxophonist Najee. From 1988-1996 she played keyboards and piano with fusion band Steps Ahead with vibes player Mike Mainieri, she was featured on Wayne Shorter's album High Life, which won a Grammy for Best Contemporary Jazz Album.
In 1996 Columbia Records released Trust the Universe by The Rachel Z Band. A year later "Room of One's Own - A Tribute to Women Artists". On NPR Piano Jazz, Rachel performed original pieces and duets with host Marian McPartland. She was a part of a jazz fusion project by Stanley Clarke and Lenny White. From 2002-2006 she played in Peter Gabriel's Growing Up tours.
Rachel released "Dept. Of Good and Evil" in 2006. She and Omar began Trio Of OZ in 2010. Then came The Omar Hakim Experience. Rachel played on Terri Lyne Carrington's "Mosaic 2: Love and Soul". Omar and Rachel Z have released a number of recordings as Ozmosys. And somehow Rachel found time to earn her Masters at Suny Purchase in Studio Composition and Electronic Music.
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 AllStars.T oscano 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.
Chogyi Lama guitarist ,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. He 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.
The opening act for the concert is Adam & Howard. They are a folk pop duo, covering folk, rock and blues tunes that span from the 1960's onwards. Adam Meyers has been playing guitar for nearly 50 years and is an accomplished blues and rock guitarist. Howard Burg is a harmonica player, combining a mainstream rock musical style with blue grass beats that he has honed over his long musical career. Adam & Howard harmonize together to capture the power and beauty of the classic tunes that they cover.
