#MEX20 (Music Exchange ) closes on 30th Sept with another new high with non-other than multi-Grammy award-winning composer, Professor of Music and wife to none-other than Omar Hakim, Rachel Z!
The amazing Rachel Z is a two-time Grammy winner
She discusses the global entertainment landscape and takes audiences on an in-depth look of their personal studio space and goes through all the gear she and Omar create on.
Rachel Z Hakim is a jazz and rock pianist and keyboardist and is considered one of the most influential and versatile musical forces of her generation.
She has already recorded 10 solo albums as a jazz musician. “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 (4 August 2005.)
In 1988, she co-wrote the Grammy Award-winning and certified Gold Record Tokyo Blue with saxophonist Najee.
From 1988–96 she played keyboards and piano with fusion band Steps Ahead with vibes player Mike Mainieri.
In 1995 she worked with Wayne Shorter, on his album High Life, which won a Grammy for Best Contemporary Jazz Album. She was also responsible for the album’s 40 tracks of synthesized orchestral sounds, acoustic piano solos and several concurrent world tours.
Rachel worked closely on preproduction with Marcus Miller in the studio to mesh the synth orchestra with the live ensemble to create the unique and innovative soundscape.
Besides her decades of work, Ozmosys (Omar and Rachel Z) is where we find her today and she and her husband are currently working on their second release in their studio and plan to release the project in 2021. The band performs Improvised EDM electronica jazz funk-rock.
The group recently recorded an EP at #PowerStation #BerkleeNYC, which came out in 2019 with #KurtRosenwinkel on guitar and #LinleyMarithe on bass and also toured with #JCMaillard on guitar.
I caught up with Rachel Z at home in New York last week
The four-letter word Jazz?
Jazz is one of the languages of Music, it’s based on improvaisation expression and connection with other musicians souls, it create an energy, it’s powerful
Where is the Music industry going?
It’s harder than ever, if you want to play for free, it’s easier than ever. Exposure is easy.
A tool you need to improve yourself?
Make sure you play –You tube kids see that you one lick from you tube, you need to get with friends to play together the human interaction is so key Music is about the human interaction the conversation the interaction
Keyboard Players what you need?
Must have an understanding of Abelton Live, controllership, understand the way to configure the gear and use it, You must know how to make the gear dance, human interaction with your gear, you need video editing skills, simple videos for you tube is key, Study the music, learn how to transcribe.learn how to learn the songs have good ear training.
Ozmoys means
A great ED.M band , Funk, jazz, rock, dance all blended in with four great players, we have rich harmony in the band
When are you happiest?
Making music and being with my husband Omar, meditation is also beautiful to get rid of useless thought and engage the higher part of the mind
What music means to me
Life, air and breath .the reason for living the power that sustains everything, Music is sharing love, beauty joy and healing
What is the most enjoyable aspect of your work?
Playing with Omar and getting to sort out the unexpected things I did not plan for
Any funny moments on stage?
The piano I was using on stage when I played with the band Journey started rolling off stage during the set
Your heroes?
Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Chick Chorea, Victor Bailey, Joe Zauwanail
Which living person do you admire ?
Really like Barack Obama
What is your most treasured possession?
My husband and my fazioli Piano
It’s your round what are you drinking?
A Pellegrino
Dream gig to do?
With our new band Ozmosys
What makes you stand out?
It’s really a boring answer, but I am a hard worker
If you were not a musician what would you do?
Love to be a singer
Pick five words to describe yourself?
Loving, focused, caring, energetic and introspective
Favorite albums of all time?
Miles Davis -Smiles
Smashing Pumpkins- Adore
Peter Gabriel- So
Chick Corea -Now he sings now he sobs
Herbie Hancock –Empyrean Isles
Kate Bush -Live at the Hammersmith Oden
Greatest Movie Ever Made?
Aquaman
What song changed your life?
Herbie Hancock on Circles when I was 15 years old
Who do you love?
Omar
What is your favorite word?
Shag
Favorite Fashion Garment
YSL boots
Give us some real proper slang and what it means
We not that hip
Top of your bucket list?
To learn to fly and stay alive
Your greatest achievement?
Being in the Miles Davis linage and having played with Wayne Shorter and having played with Wayne Shorter that puts me in that linage
Learning to relax in life and take things as they come
What do you complain about most often?
Complain about Omar complaining and we need fair compensation for artists
What is your fear?
Its an interesting state of mind, fear can motivate or it stops you, and don’t view yourself as the center of things
Happiness is?
A delicious slice of pizza, we spoilt for choice in New York and our puppy Luna
Walking on stage for a keynote speech the song to play me on is?
In the Stone by Earth Wind and Fire and some shameless promotion of our band so we use Eyes to the Future by our band
The best life lesson you have been taught?
There are so many, but staying focused on your mission in life is important so that you can look back and say I did something meaningful and never get too big for your boots, stay humble
Do you do charity work?
I believe in tidings
Thank you for reading -Book at https://tickets.musicexchange.org.za
Martin Myers 
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