Faculty

Profile

Rachel Z, a jazz pianist, keyboardist, and technologist, is one of the most influential and versatile musical forces of her generation. She trailblazed a top-level sideman career on keyboards while also recording 13 albums as a jazz leader on Sony, Savoy, Verve/GRP, OZmosis and NYC Records.Rachel Z has recorded, performed, and earned Grammys with Wayne Shorter(Highlife-responsible forsynth orchestral arrangements and piano) and Najee(co-wrote Tokyo Blue). She has toured and recorded with her own band “OZmosis” feat. Omar Hakim,Kurt Rosenwinkel,and Linley Marthe;Steps Ahead; Vertu feat. Stanley Clarke and Lenny White;Wayne Escofferey Band; George Coleman, George Garzone, Christian Mc Bride, Joe Lovano,Ron Carter, Dave Liebman, Charnette Moffett, Victor Bailey, Regina Carter,& Al Foster. She also has a trio with Mino Cinelu(perc Weather Report and Miles Davis) and James Genus(bass-Herbie Hancock)She is featured on keyboards and vocals in the Peter Gabriel Band Growing Up Love tours, recordings and Growing Up live DVD.She has a rock band Peaceboxx and an EDM project called “Nëve Fairchild” which will release a new CD soon. She has toured & recorded with the Neapolitan pop star legend Pino Daniele on 5 CDs. Toured with Savage Garden, Al DiMeola, Marcus Miller, and Neal Schon.

Rachel Z, a graduate of New England Conservatory of Music, is a Professor at the New School University Jazz and Contemporary Music Studies since 2000

Degrees Held

Bachelor of Arts with Honors and Distinction in Performance, New England Conservatory

Studies with Professor Dan Freeman in Ableton 2018

Visiting Professor in Electronic Music Production at Berklee College of Music 2018

Professional Affiliation

Local 802 Musicians Union

Recent Publications

Partial Discography:

OZmosis featuring Rachel z,Omar Hakim ,Kurt Rosenwinkel, Linley Marthe 

The Trio of OZ recording 2010

Mosaic 2 Love and Soul : Terri Lyne CarringtonWayne Escofferey Live at Firehouse12

Growing Up Live: Peter Gabriel

Highlife: Wayne Shorter

Vertu feat Stanley Clarke and Lenny White

Department of Good and Evil:Rachel z ,Savoy

Moon at the Window:Rachel Z

Grace: Rachel Z, Chesky Records

First Time Ever I saw Your Face Rachel Z ,Venus

Everlasting: Rachel z 

Room of One’s Own: Rachel z,NYC Records

Trust the Universe:Rachel z ,Columbia,Sony Music 

Infinite Desire:Al Di Meola

Kiss my Axe:Al DiMeola

Tokyo Blue: Najee

Yin Yang:Steps Ahead

Step Ahead Live in Europe

Urban Renewal : Bobby Watson

Mortal: Rachel Z , Artistshare

I Will Possess Your Heart: Rachel Z Pony Canyon

Trilateral Commission, Jimi Tunnell

Hits and Misses Peter Gabriel

Medina Pino Danieli

https://www.npr.org/2018/08/03/634627570/rachel-z-on-piano-jazz

Performances and Appearances

Http://www.rachelZ.com

Oct 30,2018 Berklee Performance Center EPD Department presents

recording with OZmosis at Power Station Berklee and at OZmosis Studios

Aug 2018 -April 2018 Tour with OZmosis 

Omar Hakim ,Kurt Rosenwinkel, Linkey Marthe

Visiting Faculty EPD Berklee College of Music 2018

Sept 2018 Detroit Jazz Festival The Trio of OZ

Sept 2018 Mezzrow Rachel Z4 Mino Cinelu, Luques Cutis, Nick Roseboro

NJ PAC Weather Report and Beyond: Christian Mc Bride, Rachel Z, Omar Hakim, Manolo Badrena,,Joe Lovano

Neal Schon’s Vortex Tour 2013

Terri Lyne Carrington Band: Mosaic 2 Tour 2012-14

Pino Daniele International tour 2010

The Trio of OZ International Tour 2010-13

Saratoga Jazz Festival 2020
Hong Kong Jazz Fest 2020
Blue Note Japan 2020
Thailand International Jazz Conference 2020
London Jazz Festival Nov  2019
Malta International Jazz Fest 2019
St Moritz Jazz Fest 2019
Saratoga International Jazz Festival 2019
Small’s Jazz Club 2019-2020

Research Interests

Women in Jazz- INEQUITY ISSUES

Awards And Honors

Presidential Scholarship for study New England Conservatory 2018 MM award

Grammy for Best Contemporary Jazz CD Wayne Shorter’s for Highlife(piano, synth, synth arranger, programmer)

Grammy for Best Contemporary Jazz CD Najee’s Tokyo Blue(cowriter)

NEA Study Grant : Richie Beirach

NEA Study Grant: Charlie Banacos