Chieli Minnucci (guitar)
Jerry Brooks (bass)
Bobby Francheschini (sax)
Scott Tibbs (keys)
Omar Hakim (drums)
recorded live at Forum, Leverkusen, November 11, 2010
1. Amethyst Secrets
2. Sita´s Dance
3. Molasses Run
4. In The Arms Of Dhyan
5. Listen Up!
6. Constructive Criticism
Widely acclaimed for his versatility, technological prowess and groove, Omar Hakim is one of the most successful drummers and session men of the past thirty-five years. He has collaborated with artists ranging from Miles Davis to Madonna, and has left his imprint on hundreds recordings including several under his own name.
Born in New York City to a musical family, Omar began playing the drums at age 5. At the age of ten, he was performing publicly with his father Hasan Hakim, a trombone veteran of the Duke Ellington and Count Basie bands. This period formulated Omar’s traditional and improvisational jazz drumming techniques, and built a strong foundation for his unique drumming style. His father’s friendship with John Coltrane enabled young Omar spend time with Elvin Jones and Art Blakey.
After seeing Omar’s versatility, Mike Manieri hired him to play in his band Steps Ahead in 1980. He went on to record and tour with Gil Evans Big Band, David Sanborn, Patti Labelle and many others. Soon after, he filled in for a tour of the groundbreaking fusion band “Weather Report”, a job he would keep permanently until the band’s breakup in 1985. In addition to the three albums he recorded with Weather Report, he also landed a gig playing on David Bowie's 1983 return to the American pop charts, “Let's Dance”.
His early successes led to many more high profile engagements and by the end of the 1980s, Omar had performed on landmark recordings with artists such as Miles Davis (Tutu, Music from Siesta), Dire Straits (Brother in Arms, Money for Nothing) and Sting (Dream of the Blue Turtles, and the popular “Rockumentary” movie Bring on the Night).
Born in New York City to a musical family, Omar began playing the drums at age 5. At the age of ten, he was performing publicly with his father Hasan Hakim, a trombone veteran of the Duke Ellington and Count Basie bands. This period formulated Omar’s traditional and improvisational jazz drumming techniques, and built a strong foundation for his unique drumming style. His father’s friendship with John Coltrane enabled young Omar spend time with Elvin Jones and Art Blakey.
After seeing Omar’s versatility, Mike Manieri hired him to play in his band Steps Ahead in 1980. He went on to record and tour with Gil Evans Big Band, David Sanborn, Patti Labelle and many others. Soon after, he filled in for a tour of the groundbreaking fusion band “Weather Report”, a job he would keep permanently until the band’s breakup in 1985. In addition to the three albums he recorded with Weather Report, he also landed a gig playing on David Bowie's 1983 return to the American pop charts, “Let's Dance”.
His early successes led to many more high profile engagements and by the end of the 1980s, Omar had performed on landmark recordings with artists such as Miles Davis (Tutu, Music from Siesta), Dire Straits (Brother in Arms, Money for Nothing) and Sting (Dream of the Blue Turtles, and the popular “Rockumentary” movie Bring on the Night).
Building on these successes, in 1989 he even found time to produce and release his first solo album, Rhythm Deep, which earned him his first Grammy nomination. He was also a founding member of the Jazz Super Band “Urban Knights” along with Ramsey Lewis, Grover Washington Jr. and bassist Victor Bailey. The band featured his songwriting and vocal skills.
Check out Omar’s new project “The Trio of OZ” w/Rachel Z on Piano!
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