Rachel Z
| Rachel Z | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Rachel Carmel Nicolazzo |
| Born |
December 28, 1962 New York City |
| Genres | Jazz, jazz fusion, smooth jazz, rock |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments | Keyboards |
| Years active | 1988–present |
| Labels | Columbia, NYC, GRP, Tone Center, Chesky |
| Associated acts | Steps Ahead, Vertú, Peacebox, Trio of OZ, Dept. of Good and Evil |
| Website |
www |
Rachel Carmel Nicolazzo, better known as Rachel Z, is a jazz and rock keyboardist.
Music career
The daughter of an opera singer, Rachel Nicolazzo began voice lessons at age two and piano at seven. She attended summer school at Berklee College of Music in Boston and formed her own jazz group, Nardis. At the New England Conservatory of Music she studied with pianist Joanne Brackeen. After graduating she joined the jazz fusion group Steps Ahead. The group's founder, vibraphonist Mike Mainieri, advised Nicolazzo to change her name to Rachel Z because it was easy to spell. She worked with Najee, a former classmate, on his album Tokyo Blue (1990) and it was a smooth jazz hit.[1]
Her first solo album, Trust the Universe (Columbia, 1993) yielded the smooth jazz hit "Nardis". The next year, she provided keyboards and orchestration on Wayne Shorter's album High Life, which won the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Jazz Album. Her next album, A Room of One's Own, was on NYC Records, owned by Mike Mainieri, and was dedicated to female musicians she admired. She joined jazz fusion veterans Stanley Clarke and Lenny White in the band Vertú.[1] The album received a positive review from All About Jazz.[2]
In 2002, she recorded Moon at the Window, a tribute to Joni Mitchell. She formed the rock group Peacebox, worked with Italian pop singer Pino Daniele, and toured with Peter Gabriel from 2002–2006. In 2010 she and drummer Omar Hakim formed the group Trio of OZ and the label OZmosis Records.
Discography
Solo
- Trust the Universe (Columbia, 1992)
- A Room of One's Own (NYC, 1996)
- Love Is the Power (GRP, 1998)
- On the Milkyway Express (Tone Center, 2000)
- Moon at the Window (Tone Center, 2002)
- First Time Ever I Saw Your Face (Tokuma, 2003)
- Everlasting (Tone Center, 2004)
- Grace (Chesky, 2005)
- Dept of Good and Evil (Savoy/WEA, 2007)
As member
- Yin Yang (Steps Ahead) (NYC, 1990)
- Vertu (Sony, 1999)
- The Trio of OZ (OZmosis, 2010)
- We are One (OZmosis, 2013)
As guest
- Kiss My Axe, Al Di Meola (Tomato, 1991)
- Urban Renewal, Bobby Watson (Kokopelli, 1995)
- Regina Carter, Regina Carter (Atlantic, 1995)
- Highlife, Wayne Shorter (Verve, 1996)
- The Infinite Desire, Al Di Meola (Universal, 1998)
- Hit, Peter Gabriel (Real World, 2003)
- Still Growing Up Live & Unwrapped, Peter Gabriel (Real World, 2005)
- Mortal (ArtistShare, 2006)
- I Will Possess Your Heart (Pony Canyon, 2009)
- Firehouse 12, Wayne Escofferey (Sunnyside, 2013)
- Mosaic 2, Terri Lyne Carrington (Concord, 2015)
With Pino Daniele
- Medina (Sony, 2001)
- Pino, di Gregori, Mannoia, Ron Live (Sony, 2002)
- Concerto: Medina Live (Sony, 2002)
- Electric Jam (Sony, 2009)
- Boogie Boogie Man (Sony, 2010)
- La Grande Madre (Blue Drag/Sony, 2012)
References
- 1 2 Huey, Steve. "Rachel Z | Biography & History | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 4 October 2016.
- ↑ Vertu review at All About Jazz