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TTOZ w/ OMAR HAKIM(the legendary drummer of Weather Report,Miles Davis,Hank Jones,Sting and David Bowie) launched at SARATOGA JAZZ FESTIVAL 2010 and will return July 1,2012!!BUY CD NOW at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/trioofoz and I-tunes http://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/the-trio-of-oz/id396772695?ign-mpt=uo%3D4 !
John Neudorf "****In a year of some great jazz recordings this is my favourite. My only
advice is to go out and get it as this is an essential release for all
fans of jazz"
Ken Frankling" Jazz Picks" "electric and fascinating"...
Mark Tucker F.A.M.E. 9.26.10 "... it's a
brisk, complex, heady exposition by a keyboardist who has joined the
ranks of the greats."
Financial Times Mike Hobart "the new piano trio dovetails the detailed choreography of jazz into the structures of pop and rock. It featured the pyrotechnic flare
of drummer Omar Hakim – introduced, not inconceivably, as “the best
drummer in the world” Rachel Z not only complemented Hakim’s
rhythmic tiger but also joined a still small group of musicians whose canny arrangements and trenchant swing rejig indie pop into
unadulterated jazz."
John Fordam The London Guardian, "The Bad Plus feel comes from a similar affection for deconstructing
anthemic pop, but the pairing of Z and Hakim turns up the intensity and
the piano virtuosity more. Wayne Shorter's Nefertiti was
a tour de force of skimming swing, and in more lyrical passages Z
revealed a symmetrically classical touch. She's a jazz pianist
of remarkable completeness."
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  | TTOZ Tour Date Details on Facebook
| 5/20/2012 - July 1 Saratoga Jazz Festival TTOZ
July 7 Thionville Jazz Festival TTOZ
July 5-Sept 8 European Festival Tour The Trio of OZ with Pino Daniele
July 5 Locarno Festival
Oct 2012 Record new TTOZ CD
Jan 13,2013 APAP Showcase and Capricorn Music Festival at Klavierhaus
NY,NY
March 2013 USA
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| The Trio of OZ Spring 2012
| 3/21/2012 - The Trio of OZ ON TOUR and also feat with Pino Daniele
March 16 Senigallia
March 31 Napoli
April 1 Napoli
April 6 Roma
April 13 Milano
April 16 Milano
April 19 Florence
April 21 Padova
April 20 Ancona The Trio of OZ
April 25 Casablanca The Trio of OZ
April 27 Lichtenstein,Essen The Trio of OZ
April 29 ZUG,CH April 20 Ancona The Trio of OZ
May 3 Reggio Emilia
May 4 Brescia The Trio of OZ
May 7 Torino
May 9 Bologna
May 10 Bergamo
May 11 Lausanne The Trio of OZ
May 12 Sion The Trio of OZ
May 13 Milano
May 14 omar Masterclass milano
May 16 Zurich
May 20 Brescia
May 22 Geneva
May 23 Rheinfelden The Trio of OZ
May 24 Basel The Trio of OZ
May 25 Milano
May 26 Lugano
May 28 Genova
May 30 Berne Masterclass TTOZ
May 31 Kulturhof Performing Arts Center,Konniz,CH TTOZ
June 1 Jazztage Gorelitz,Germany Kulturhof Performing Arts Center TTOZ
June 2 Ostrava Gig and Performance TTOZ
June 3 Prague, Czech Republic TTOZ
June 4 Prague, Czech Republic Omar Masterclass
June 7 Apollo theatre ,NYC
June 9 Boston,NY
June 10 DC, NY
MARCH 2013
Yoshi's,SF TBC TTOZ
Seattle,Washington TBC TTOZ
West Coast dates TBC TTOZ
MID WEST RUN TBC TTOZ
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 | The Roma Report
| 4/5/2012 - With love from Roma!! We are sharing an apartment while performing gigs throughout Europe both with Pino and TTOZ! So far the Napoli gig was crazy with fans singing all of Pino's songs! Solomon is an amazing cook so we actually love his cooking better than the restaraunts here! Back soon with more details!
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 | May Tour Dates The Trio Of OZ
| 4/26/2011 - May 5 Stans Jazz Festival ,Luzerne,Switzerland
May 6 Vicenza Jazz Festival, Italy with Ambrose Akinmusare co-bill
May 7 Spazio Musicale Achille Galo-Officina della Musica,Lecco
May 21 Point Pleasant NJ Jazz Festival
June 14 Rochester International Jazz Festival
June 19 New England Jazz Festival
June 24 Naples ,Italy(Cava De Tirreni) Pino Daniele and TTOZ and Special Guest Eric Clapton
July NYC Special EVENT TBA soon
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| The Trio of OZ in Lyon by Philippe Simonici
| | 4/13/2011 - On sort de ce concert content d'avoir pu approcher un batteur de la
classe d'Omar Hakim et une pianiste aussi discrète qu'inspirée. Wayne
Shorter chez qui les deux co-leaders ont fait leurs classes est très
certainement le liant d'une sauce à la saveur subtile et longue en
bouche. Catali Antonini qui assistait au concert concluait avec un "ça
envoie grave..." qui résumait parfaitement notre sentiment à l'écoute
d'un trio original et d'aussi belle facture.
Du gros, du lourd ... Du très bon au Hot ce soir là.Sur scène on est étonné par la batterie d'Omar Hakim, une Pearl
brillante (il aura fallu l'avancer devant la scène pour que le crane
tout aussi brillant d'Omar ne touche pas la voûte de la cave) bien
équipée pour moulineur inspiré. Il va nous montrer qu'il sait la dominer
avec une diversité et une invention rare. Le piano du Hot quant à lui
aura du mal à tenir l'accord jusqu'au bout.
Et pour parler musique encore et conclure, avec un vrai bémol :
normalement le Hot aurait dû refuser du monde, évidente défaillance de
communication, la cave célèbre depuis 1948 et dans laquelle les
protagonistes du jour étaient fiers de pouvoir jouer, n'était pas
bondée, comme c'est dommage pour tous ces absents...
READ FULL REVIEW | |
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| April 2011 DownBeat Magazine Rachel Z Interview by John Ephland
| 4/1/2011 - Read the unedited version here from the April 2011 DownBeat Magazine! ;-)" For example:
Also in a related vein, has
gender discrimination ever been something you’ve had to deal with, and
was it something that gave you pause about considering a career in jazz?
"I
was told by a Boston teacher that I should work to be 3x as good as a
man and I would make it in jazz!...That being said –I believe that music
is a spiritual experience and your mind must be always open to that!
Consider the law of attraction-if you think that you will be
discriminated against- you will start to attract all sorts of horrible
situations…conversely if you feel comfortable with yourself you attract
supportive people who respect you. This has been my experience. IF I am
centered and confident –I will find myself working with really awesome
people who honor me as a woman and who hire me for my playing! Even the
reviews are powerfully supportive and magical! Through meditation we can
rise above the mundane earthly ego based fears! It is also very
important for women in jazz to have a sense of humor and not lose their
sense of deep feminine power! Keep the sexy in jazz! The Yin and Yang
can be very powerful in a band." | |
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 | Financial Times reviews Ronnie Scotts March 2011
| 4/1/2011 - O for drummer Omar Hakim and Z for pianist Rachel Z, with
Solomon Dorsey on bass at this gig – interpret rock and pop classics
through the intricacies of the classic jazz piano trio. In this, they
follow the likes of Brad Meldau and Herbie Hancock in trying to match the amplified power of a tightly arranged song with
the energy of devious jazz complexity. The Trio of OZ delivered rocky versions of songs by the likes
of the Killers and Depeche Mode and then darted off into
straightahead modern jazz.
...there was much jazz to admire! Rachel Z is a strong
technician and Hakim gave a masterclass in precision, sound and melodic
construction. And the jazz repertoire was not overlooked. Wayne
Shorter’s “ESP” and the standard “Softly as in a Morning Sunrise” were
imaginatively stretched so that the themes emerged gradually. There were
beautifully articulated drum showcases, inventive up-tempo piano and
intriguing bass solos. And both sets finished with tightly argued
polyrhythmic jigsaws, the first after a cannily counted few bars of
silence, the second after Bill Withers’ “Ain’t No Sunshine”.
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 | Spring 2011 "We're not In Kansas Anymore Toto Tour"
| 2/17/2011 - Feb 17 Jazz Standard 27th and Park, NYC CD Release Party (limited seating please reserve asap)$25
March 19 Ivrea Jazz Festival ,Italy
March 22-23 Ronnie Scotts,London,UK
March 24 Edinburgh, Scottland
March 26 Piacenza Jazz Festival, Italy
March 29 Blue Note Milano, Italy
March 30 DudelangeFestival,Luxembourg
March 31 Palermo Jazz Festival
April 3 Le RepaireDes Ours, Le Fayet, Geneva
April 4 Le Cintra, Fribourg,CH
April 5 The Widder, Zurich
April 6 Lyon,France-DEBUT of TTOZ in FRANCE
April 7 and 8th Sunrise Club in Paris
April 15-16 Morocco Jazz Festival Co-bill w/Chick Corea
April record new OZ CD
April 23 Mainstage ,Chicago and Midwest tour
May 5 Stans,Luzerne,Switzerland
May 6 Vicenza Jazz Festival,ITALY
May 7 TBA Lugano Teatro Special gig
May 21 Point Pleasant NJ Jazz Festival
May NYC venue TBA with special guest with USA TOUR TBA SOON!
June 14 Rochester International Jazz Festival
June 19 New England Jazz Festival
June 24 Naples ,Italy(Cava De Tirreni) Pino Daniele and TTOZ and Special Guest Eric Clapton
June 29 Sculler's Boston,TBC
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 | Summer Tour TTOZ 2.0 Being Booked Now
| 3/21/2011 - July 5 Portugal- Lisbon Jazz Festival TBC
July 7 Stockholm, Sweden
July 9 Isola d'Elba, Italy
July Pepperoncino Jazz Festival in Calabria TBC
July Barletta Jazz festival TBC
August 5th Oakville Jazz Festival(Toronto),Canada
August 6th Napoli Stabbia Festival, Italy
August 10th ish Alessandra Jazz Festival
Sept 3 Budapest Jazz Festival
Sept Jazz on Live Brescia, Italy
Oct 7 Nyon Jazz Festival ,France
Oct 11 Dunkirk, Ireland
Sept 17,2012 Feltre Jazz Festival
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 | Keyboard Magazines Editor's Playlist by Jon Regen
| 2/18/2011 - What makes a song a standard? Post-modern jazzer Rachel Z and Company ponder that question on this surprising new album. Here Rachel, Drum legend Omar Hakim, and Maeve Royce,bassist rework iconic pop tracks into inspired improvisational fare! Not convinced yet? Check out the Trio's re-imagined version of Deathcab for Cutie's "I Will Possess Your Heart "with a harmonic interlude straight out of Freddie Hubbard's "Red Clay"
Recommended!
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 | Zero Zero Jazz Books TTOZ in Italy
| 2/16/2011 - Please contact Enzo Carpentieri and Sara Pezzato for Italian Tour dates booking 2011-2012 NOW!!
Un trio che vede la straordinaria partecipazione di Omar Hakim, leggendario batterista Weather Report, Sting, Miles Davis e David Bowie, e la pianista Rachel Z,
collaboratrice di Wayne Shorter, Steps Ahead, e Peter Gabriel. Lo
spettacolo presenta il virtuosismo ed il gusto di questi straordinari
musicisti alle prese con originali arrangiamenti di standard e di hit
del rock degli ultimi 30 anni. Un repertorio che spazia quindi da Duke
Ellington ai Depeche Mode, da Wayne Shorter a Joni Mitchell, da Sting ai Coldplay e Bjork.livemusiclombardia.it | |
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 | Gary Walker's WBGO Top Picks "The Trio of OZ"
| | 2/18/2011 - First, Gary's best of the week: Rachel Z, Omar Hakim & Maeve Royce, "The Trio of Oz"
An off-road, yellow-brick trip using the music of Alice In Chains,
Stone Temple Pilots, Death Cab For Cutie and other unlikely vehicles
for a fresh swinging listen to the jazz trio interplay. Addded week of Feb 14th, 2011
THANKS GARY!!! You are the radio tastemaker and you lead us this week to CMJ's Top 20 after only 2 weeks at RADIO!!! Remember to contribute$$$$ to Public Radio so we can keep the swing in our step at radio!;-)
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 | Short and Sweet NYC Reviews Jazz Standard by Ralph Greco
| 2/20/2011 - It was one of those nights…seeing a great band playing in a great
venue with a great friend. My buddy Tony -the premier jazz aficionado I
know-and I made our way to Jazz Standard to see Omar Hakim and Rachel Z's new trio, The Trio Of Oz.
Featuring Omar-who has played with Weather Report, Sting, Miles Davis
and David Bowie (to name but a few)-and pianist Rachel Z-whose has
worked with such heavy-weights herself like Wayne Shorter and Peter
Gabriel-the acoustic based jazz band blistered through a tight hour set
on the comfortable Jazz Standard stage. Routing around and through tunes
by Stone Temple Pilots, Hakim’s old band mate Sting (the trio’s “King
Of Pain” featuring Z on some opening undulant piano stylings), Oz seems
to be about visiting mostly modern pop-rock stuff and giving it their
own unique spin….their take on Coldplay’s “Lost” was a true highlight of
the night.
READ MORE http://rachelz.com/press.aspx?t=1
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 | TTOZ CD Release Party at the Jazz Standard Feb 17th 7&9pm REPORT
| 2/8/2011 - Thanks for coming YOU ALL!!! We had sooooo much fun! Thanks to Seth and the Standard! Great to see Jon Regen from Keyboard Magazine, Kim Thompson, rock stars all and our other friends!
Nick Roseboro and Solomon represented with great power! Thanks YOU ALL SOOOOOO much!
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 | Jazziz on Disc Critic Choices Other Voices 2010 Winter
| 1/5/2011 - "The trio re-examines songs not often given the jazz treatment-Alice in Chains,Stone Temple Pilots, Depeche Mode,Morrissey...their beautiful rendition of New Order's Bizarre Love triangle shows the potential riches available to jazz musicians who look beyond the Great American Songbook. Royce's sighing arco,Hakim's superbly sensitive touch lend depth and nuance to Z's crystalline piano."
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Toledo Blade Reviews TTOZ by Tom Henry Dec 2,2010
| 12/4/2010 - A drum, piano, and bass trio is about as standard as groups get in jazz.
What allows those such as The Trio of Oz to rise above others is that
intangible synergy they create when playing together, with free-flowing
improvisation that takes listeners on a mental voyage, satisfies the
pleasure points of their brains and practically leaves them in a trance.
Such is the case on this album. Drummer Omar Hakim, formerly with
Weather Report, Sting, Miles Davis, and David Bowie, is paired with
Rachel Z, a brilliant Manhattan pianist who has played with Wayne
Shorter, Steps Ahead, and Peter Gabriel, and Maeve Royce, a fine bassist
who's been playing with Z since 2005.
Together they're known for jazz reinterpretations of some rock and some
pop from the likes of the Police, Coldplay, Stone Temple Pilots, Depeche
Mode.
The jazz they do is mostly joyous, delicate, and deep, but not brooding.
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| Sea of Tranquility Reviews The Trio of OZ Jon Neudorf Gives 4 stars
| 12/4/2010 - The trio produces a full rich sound that will have all jazz fans reaching for their wallets. This may in fact be my favourite jazz CD this year and when you look at the players it is not hard to see why.
The album begins with Alice in Chain's "Angry Chair" displaying Hakim's sensational drum skills, his use of the snare adds another dimension to the sound and Rachel's piano adds an element of darkness. Death Cab For Cutie's "I Will Possess Your Heart" retains the moodiness of the original with complex drum patterns and an off kilter piano melody that is decidedly fresh and just a little dark. "Lost", one of my favourite Coldplay songs, displays the same haunting melody as the original but the musicianship is raised a few notches especially with Royce's haunting bow work and the jazzified version of The Killer's "When You Were Young" is another song that works remarkably well in this format.
The album ends with Sting's "King Of Pain" featuring Rachel's ethereal piano flourishes. Her playing is as gentle as it is intense and a fine ending to what is an excellent CD.
In a year of some great jazz recordings this is my favourite. My only advice is to go out and get it as this is an essential release for all fans of jazz. Released on Ozmosis Records. Read full review
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 | TTOZ Fall 2010 Tour Dates UPDATED
| 6/18/2010 - Nov 12-16 Italian Tv and Promo
Nov 17 PADOVA Jazz Festival , Italy
Nov 18 Omar Masterclass
Nov 19 Jazz on Live, Brescia, Italy
Nov 20 Jazz in Sardegna,Cagliari with Pino Daniele
Nov 22 RDS Radio and Internet TV Show with Pino Daniele
Nov 27 A Train Jazz Club, Berlin
Nov 29 Domecile Jazz Club, Pforzeim,Germany
Nov 30 Gran Casino, Basel, Switzerland
Dec 1 Jazz Club Unterfarht, Munich ,Germany
Dec 2 Colo-Saal Jazz Club, Aschaffenberg ,Germany
Dec 3 Domecil, Dortmund, Germany
Dec 5 Hot Jazz, Munster, Germany
Dec 6 Jubez, Karlsruhe, Germany
Dec 7 Moods, Zurich
Dec 8 Cultural das Haus, Ludwigshafen, Germany
Dec 10 Jazz Club Rorschach, Rorschach, Switzerland
Dec 12 Porgy and Bess, Vienna, Austria
Dec 14 Altes Pfandhaus, Koln, Germany
Dec 15 The Spirit of 66,Verviers ,Belgium
Dec 17 Stazione Birra, Roma with special guest
Dec 19 secret gig
Dec 20 secret gig
Dec 28 Z Birthday party
2011 Jan 8 APAP Showcase Klavierhaus 58th st, NYC 7and9pm refreshments
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| AAJ Review of TTOZ by Jeff Winbush
| | 10/19/2010 - Whenever
jazz is in danger of becoming safe, static and scared to stray out of
its comfort zone, that's when it's in the fast lane to becoming the
muzak for museums naysayers already claim it is. The Trio of Oz
strikes that delicate balance between respecting tradition while
refusing to be handcuffed by it. There's a lot here, in one of 2010's
most brilliant debuts for both purists and pioneers to admire. | |
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| Boston Globe ALBUM REVIEW Omar Hakim / Rachel Z, 'The Trio of Oz'
| 10/19/2010 - It is no longer shocking when a jazz piano trio covers rock songs...when a trio does it with as much gusto as this one, it qualifies as an event. Omar Hakim — who has drummed with Miles Davis, Sting, and Weather Report — has paired up with modern-minded pianist Rachel Nicolazzo (Rachel Z) for the cheekily titled “The Trio of OZ.’’ With the help of bassist Maeve Royce, they put their own stamp on songs by the likes of Stone Temple Pilots, Coldplay, and the Killers. Hakim’s sticks skitter across the skins on Death Cab for Cutie’s “I Will Possess Your Heart’’ while Nicolazzo states the plaintive melody and then improvises off the chord changes. New Order’s “Bizarre Love Triangle’’ becomes a languid ballad in these six hands, with Royce bowing the melody. The trio uses the Smiths’ “There Is a Light That Never Goes Out’’ as a vehicle for speedy post-bop and Depeche Mode’s “In Your Room’’ — a dark electronic number — as a framework for brainy ruminations. Familiar songs heard in fascinating new contexts — that’s what jazz does best.
--STEVE GREENLEE | |
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| Frank Etier reviews TTOZ for Blog Critics
| | 10/4/2010 - Who are those guys?” — Butch Cassidy asked of his
partner. Asking
the same question of the Trio of Oz gets an answer with an
impressive history in jazz, opera and classical music...Listeners
who aren’t familiar with the work of these groups will
nevertheless enjoy this CD for the virtuoso performances of these
three talented artists. This is jazz. Real jazz from one of my
favorite combinations of instruments...Every track on Trio of Oz is thoughtfully performed and offers
great opportunity for the trio to display their unique
improvisational skills. Top notch production and attention-getting
arrangements make this CD a good bet. If you are a fan of the
artists whose work is covered you’ll be pleased and surprised. If
your tastes run more towards trio jazz, you will find it very
satisfying. . - Frank Etier | |
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| FAME Review:The Trio of Oz by Mark Tucker
| 9/26/2010 - Ostensibly, this is a collection of covers celebrating what can be done with good music in the hands of a master player. So, yeah, it is indeed that, but, no, no it's not, not really. The Trio of Oz is actually proof positive and adamantine that Rachel Z has become a forefront pianist ...The success of *Trio*...has everything to do with the fact that it's a brisk, complex, heady exposition by a keyboardist who has joined the ranks of the greats...Amid a strong trio format (Omar Hakim on dizzying drums and Maeve Royce playing a solid trad-jazz groove-time bass a bit a la Ron Carter), Z displays a constant mode of perfection and ingenuity that will sit ECM / CTI / KUDU / Blue Note fans up in their seats. The songs sound not like chart material at all but rather as if Chick Corea, Oscar Peterson, and Bill Evans got together to create a set of stunners, gobbled up and redefined through Z's hands.
'Dazzling' is hardly the word amid a snowstorm of crystalline prowess possessing infinite permutations. Hakim is obviously second seeded and carries off the task as fluently as a Jack DeJohnette might, though in a vocabulary all Omar's own. Thus, the true rhythm section is Ms. Royce, who holds the bottom line with quiet strength, bringing in variations but ceding Z and Hakim the clear foreground.
click to read full review
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| Jeff Miers Reviews The Trio of OZ for Buffalo News
| 9/11/2010 - "a fearlessness that implies an
ever-present creative wanderlust...The piano playing is
fresh, exciting, irreverent and adventurous throughout, and the rhythm
section ceaselessly bold and brave...this is
sophisticated music, full of risk-taking improvisations, harmonic
invention and collective virtuosity...outstanding" click to read the full review
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| Philadelphia Daily News Salutes The Trio of OZ
| 9/18/2010 - By Jonathan Takiff, Philadelphia Daily News
As "The Trio of Oz" (Ozmosis Records, B), keyboardist Rachel Z, drummer Omar Hakim and acoustic bassist Maeve Royce riff on contemporary rock hits -- including florid, Keith Jarrett-like twists on Coldplay's "Lost" and New Order's "Bizarre Love Triangle." Other cites include Alice in Chains (heavy!), the Swedish psychedelic band Dungen (in town at Johnny Brenda's tonight), the Killers, Morrissey, Death Cab for Cutie and the Police. | |
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| Brian Robbins "OZ is the place to be!" Sept 14, 2010 GlideMagazine.com
| 9/18/2010 - Discovering The Trio of OZ via their debut album has been one of those unexpected pleasures that happens every once in a while. I didn’t see this one coming, boys and girls – but I’m glad it did. Pianist Rachel Z, drummer Omar Hakim, and bassist Maeve Royce have laid down a jam-laden jazz album chock full of emotion and life.
...Seconds into the album you can’t help but be impressed with the sound. Drummer Omar Hakim (who’s kept the beat for everyone from Miles Davis and Weather Report to Bruce Springsteen and Sting) handled the engineering and mixing for the album and simply nailed the Trio’s vibe. The result is an album that feels crisp, immediate, and right there. Of exceptional note is the bass sound of Maeve Royce, which simply envelops you – not in terms of volume, but feel. Hakim’s production somehow takes us right inside that big ol’ upright, burrowing us up in its chambers.
... “I Will Possess Your Heart” also showcases the kind of power Hakim is capable of unleashing on his drums. At the 4:25 mark, he goes into a wild-ass-yet-totally-in-control flurry... Rachel Z roams the keyboard with the grace and imagination of Keith Jarrett while never sounding like an imitator.
The Trio Of OZ offers up something for jazzbos and jamsters alike. I’m serious, boys and girls: you need – need - to listen to this.
OZ is the place to be.
click to read full review
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| Ken Frankling Jazz Notes CDs of Note
| 9/2/2010 - Sunday, August 29, 2010
CDs of Note…
Omar Hakim and Rachel Z, The Trio of Oz, Ozmosis Records
How do you draw younger, eclectic pop- and rock-based listeners to jazz? Drummer Omar Hakim, pianist Rachel (Nicolazzo) Z and bassist Maeve Royce have one solution. In this new project, they have taken 10 musical standards from the rock world - and used them as launching pads for their own deconstruction, reconstruction and improvisation.
The music is wide ranging, retaining enough melodic meat to satisfy both casual and adventurous listeners while fueling their own imaginations as players and arrangers. The “covers,” if you can call them that, include “Angry Chair” by Alice in Chains, Coldplay’s “Lost,” Death Cab for Cutie’s “I Will Possess Your Heart,” Depeche Mode’s “In Your Room,” Morrissey’s “There is a Light” and Sting’s “King of Pain” hit for The Police. In these talented hands, the results are electric - and fascinating.
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 | The Trio of OZ Debuts in USA at Saratoga Jazz Festival
| 6/17/2010 - The Trio of OZ feat. Omar Hakim and Rachel Z debuts their new CD at the Saratoga Jazz Festival at 12noon on the Mainstage and 4:15pm on the Gazebo Stage!This gig was unbelievable! Thanks to all of you for making this weekend a great launch! Official release date Sept 9th for USA!Check out "thetrioofoz.com' website.
Mike Hobart from Financial Times writes,"But most impressive was the trio's inner dynamic as new-kid-on- the-block bassist Maeve Royce and Hakim mashed stark indie chords and odd little riffs into a foundation for exhilarating on-the-edge piano trio jazz. " ****Read our review from All About Jazz
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 | The Trio of OZ March 2010 Euro Tour
| 6/18/2010 - The trio's world premiere happened at Ronnie Scotts London and other UK cities where major international jouralists agreed that this project is an important link from the past lineage of jazz greats to the future of music with musicians who have experience and vision. Rob Adams of the Scotland Herald writes"The repertoire had little to do with jazz but therein lies a tale. The trio, with bassist Maeve Royce contributing powerful lines, follows the fashion for realising pop and rock songs as jazz “standards.” But there’s none of the cuteness that can often result. Alice in Chains’ Angry Chair, Morrissey’s There Is a Light That Never Goes Out and The Police’s King of Pain all transferred naturally into swinging vehicles in the jazz tradition, although the swingingest of all was the bona fide jazz number, Wayne Shorter’s E.S.P., which here merited another set of initials: TNT."
?Star rating: ****
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 | TTOZ 2010 Summer Tour Dates Announced
| 6/18/2010 -
July 22 Palermo Jazz Festival
July 23 Torino Jazz Festival
July 25 Trieste Jazz Festival Special Guest Bendik Hofseth sax
July 27 Langenau Switzerland Jazz Festival
July 28 St Moritz Jazz Festival
July 29 Savigliano Jazz Festival
July 30 Sori (Genova) Jazz Festival
Aug 6 Brecon Jazz Festival (Wales)
Aug 7 and 8 Siracusa, Sicily Music Festival
Aug 12 Taranto Onternational Jazz Festival
Aug 13 Grey Cat Music Festival Grosetto
Aug 17 Oslo International Jazz Festival
Sept 1&2 Cotton Club,Tokyo , Japan
Sept 19 South Africa Tour
Sept 25 Long Beach,NY Jazz Festival 3:45pm(Thnx to our dear friend Steve Edelman)
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 | Omar Hakim and Rachel Z, The Trio of Oz, Ozmosis Records
| 9/2/2010 - Sunday, August 29, 2010
CDs of Note…
Omar Hakim and Rachel Z, The Trio of Oz, Ozmosis Records
How do you draw younger, eclectic pop- and rock-based listeners to jazz? Drummer Omar Hakim, pianist Rachel (Nicolazzo) Z and bassist Maeve Royce have one solution. In this new project, they have taken 10 musical standards from the rock world - and used them as launching pads for their own deconstruction, reconstruction and improvisation.
The music is wide ranging, retaining enough melodic meat to satisfy both casual and adventurous listeners while fueling their own imaginations as players and arrangers. The “covers,” if you can call them that, include “Angry Chair” by Alice in Chains, Coldplay’s “Lost,” Death Cab for Cutie’s “I Will Possess Your Heart,” Depeche Mode’s “In Your Room,” Morrissey’s “There is a Light” and Sting’s “King of Pain” hit for The Police. In these talented hands, the results are electric - and fascinating. (This is a September 8 release.)
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 | Feb 2010 Tour with Rodney Holmes on Drums
| 10/22/2009 - Announcing European Tour Dates for the Trio with Rodney Holmes on drums and Maeve Royce on bass! We are planning a great new repetoire featuring the songs from the new CD plus some old favorites!
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 | Depeche Mode Hang
| 10/22/2009 - This August to get inspired the band went to see Depeche Mode at the Garden and they threw down! We covered In Your Room on the New CD! Here is new Photo Gallery!
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 | Muralto 2005 MayPhoto MiniGalleryNow available
| 9/19/2005 - Another awesome gig on the May 2005 European Tour was in Muralto. We thank our Swiss friends kindly for the priviledge of playing at this prestigious venue! Thanks to Matteo,Paolo Keller,Roger,Marco,Claudio and Mirko!Have a look!
For the full story join the Grtace Participant and support the next project! BE A GRACE PARTICIPANT NOW | |
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 | Rachel Z played at the Monk 90th Fazioli Celebration
| | 10/18/2007 - It was as usual a priviledge to be included at the Fazioli Celebration of Monk's B day!My though was to be an individual like Monk is so i did'nt play Monk! HAHA! Monk got it!Thanks again to Jim Luce! | |
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 | Brooklyn Shiba Inus in Effect
| | 8/3/2007 - Check out the Brooklyn Shiba Inu band at myspace/brooklynshibainus and unjoy these talented pups music after only 5 weeks on the planet!To purchase email ming at mingandevil@yahoo.com | |
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 | D.O.G.E. Overtakes JAZZ STANDARD with new sounds
| | 5/24/2007 - NYC was a who's who of great people thanks to you all of you for for making this a sold out event! Tony Levin and Erik Naslundmade this event very special! Especially WBGO and Gary Walker,Bloomberg radio's Pat Cole,Jerry Kovarsky and Jack Hotop at Korg,and Josh Sherman and Jim Feitchman at Savoy for coming out! | |
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 | D.O.G.E.Keyboard Magazine June 2007 Lead Review
| | 5/24/2007 - It takes both profound virtuosity and ample good taste to get away with jazz treatments of pop-chart staples. The inimitable Ms. Z - who's both sat at a piano for Wayne Shorter and stood behind a synth rack for Peter Gabriel - does a lot more than get away with it. She brilliantly excavates the harmonic complexity lurking in songs from Joy Division's "Love Will Tear Us Apart" to "King of Pain" by The Police. Drummer Bobbie Rae's deft mixology of straight-ahead jazz, funk, and hip-hop is always just perfect, and fellow Gabriel veteran Tony Levin and up-and-coming bass prodigy Maeve Royce take turns laying the bass foundation for Rachel's burning piano solos, not to mention her sultry crooning on the original "Moon and Sun." If you're a jazz aficionado, this CD will give you newfound respect for rock songwriting. If you're not, it may well turn you into one. Essential listening.Steve Fortner | |
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 | Ken Micalef's Pick of the Week Philadelphia!
| | 5/23/2007 - Rachel Z's weird persona as a sex kitten/fusion keyboard whiz has sometimes overshadowed her brilliance on the acoustic piano, but that's fully corrected on her new album Dept. of Good and Evil. Inspired improvisations fire the album, such as the flurries in "King of Pain," the chordal melody of "E.S.P." and the delicate touches of "Lakme." Dept. is certainly accessible, from Z's generous piano lines to the buoyant drumming of Bobbie Rae. Some may accuse Rachel Z of pop-star ambitions, but Dept. of Good and Evil should silence the critics. (Ken Micallef) | |
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 | Pittsburgh Report Feat.Sean Jones w/D.O.G.E.
| 5/23/2007 - Short Takes: Rachel Z trio takes a versatile approach
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Pianist Rachel Z has emerged from the shadows of Peter Gabriel to form one of the most innovative trios to come along in some time. Performing at Gullifty's Restaurant Saturday night, Z demonstrated how any song can be used as a launching pad for jazz dynamics.
Z has long been adept at bridging genres, and her group, Dept. of Good and Evil, continued that path Saturday night.
She paid homage to Sting on "King of Pain" and invited trumpeter Sean Jones to the stage to assist with Wayne Shorter's "ESP." Jones is a dynamo and worth the price of admission whenever he's playing.
The group then launched into Pink Floyd's "Comfortably Numb" and performed an unidentified tune from Depeche Mode. But the trio made its greatest impact on "Angry Chair," a song by Alice in Chains. How many jazz trios have that kind of repertory?
-- Nate Guidry, Post-Gazette jazz critic | |
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 | Hot Boys in in Minneapolis 2006 Tour
| | 7/17/2006 - "I love the creative interplay between Rachel and Bobbie.The Rachel Z Trio is going places, in more ways than one"-says eric norgaarden. Trumpeter eric Naslund reaches new heights of beauty in his playing! read more | |
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 | Blue Note Photogallery
| 7/15/2006 - The Blue Note Miano was a special event with sold out shows and high energy performances of new material like...oops we can"t reveal our secrets yet!
Photos of our friends and fans-thanks to Enrico,Radio Monte Carlo Nick the Nightfly and our fans and friends!Also features some live shots by Max the bassist from Milano and of course Roger Salem! | |
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 | Celebrity/Legend Notes
| | 7/15/2006 - NEW! Each month Rachel Z will write an article about being a sideman and shmoozing with jazz and rock legends. These features stories will have musical and social commentaries on each incredible experience. Some of the featured artists will be Mike Mainieri, Wayne Shorter(commentary about Footprints:the book),Peter Gabriel,Sting,Bono,Al Di Meola,Larry Coryell,Bobby Watson,Angela Boefil,Najee,George Coleman,Bob Moses,Lenny white and Stanley Clarke,and Victor Bailey...more | |
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 | Introducing Maeve Royce-bass
| 11/21/2005 - Introducing the hot new bass player Maeve Royce for upcoming Z Trio tour! rachel Z has a history of working with interesting bass players from Charnette Moffitt,Ron Carter,and Stanley Clarke to Tony Levin,and Chris Luard. Now we are bringing another young original bass talent to the scene!Reminiscent of the legendary Scoot La Faro-
here is a little info about this gifted young musician!
read more | |
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 | Ronnie's Scotts Mini Gallery
| 9/19/2005 - Finally some progress on this great week in London at the classic club Ronnie Scotts! What a trip! This gallery documents the gig as seen by Roger. Chris Squire(FROM YES) came down and the whole thing was sooooooooo great! Thanks to Monty,Moses,Pete King,Collin,and Dorothy-plus the coolest John Ellison and ESIP-join the grace particiapnt to see more cool photos!
Totally be a grace participant | |
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 | Italy Tour 2005 Photos Posted
| | 9/18/2005 - Finally the much awaited photo galleries from Italy shall be available for your perusal.... sorry for the wretched wait. Muralto-Milano-Chat Noir-Lausanne and Casino D'italia! WHEW!!!All Coming up! | |
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