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Rachel
exhibits a variety of influence - Bill Evans's sense of spacing,
Chick Corea-like lines,
and McCoy Tyneresque block chords.
James Logan, Bone Magazine
Pianist
Rachel Z has charted her own course in jazz. Rachel is an
exceptionally strong performer and composer and has been sought
after for versatility proven through her work with Mike Mainieri,
Lenny White, Al Di Meola and Bobby Watson. She has also broken
into the ranks and collaborated with such legendary traditional
players as Ron Carter, Al Foster, Dave Liebman and most recently Wayne Shorter. As a leader, she's striding into her own with
her dynamic women's trio and highly anticipated upcoming NYC
Records debut A Room of One's Own.
Born
in Manhattan, Rachel Nicolazzo was groomed to follow in her
mother's operatic footsteps. She began voice lessons at two and
discovered the piano at seven. While in high school, she attended
a summer session at Berklee College of Music where she heard the
classic recording "Miles Smiles". For Rachel, listening
to Herbie Hancock's harmonies over Wayne Shorter's compositions
bridged the gap from her classical training to jazz. The rest of
the summer was spent listening the music of Bird and Bud, before
she returned home to launch a quintet called Nardis. She
studied with Joanne Brackeen and Richie Beirach and frequented the Vanguard to
see such masters as Dexter Gordon and Bill Evans. She graduated
from New England Conservatory with a "Distinction in
Performance" award while developing an excellent reputation
in the Boston area working with the likes of Bob Moses, Miroslav Vitous and George Garzone.
Returning
home to New York in 1988, Rachel toured with New England
Conservatory schoolmate Najee, co-writing the title track from
his #1 Billboard Hit album Tokyo Blue. Soon her natural
melodic gifts and finely-honed harmonic sense caught the
attention of Al Di Meola, Larry Coryell, Special EFX and Angela
Boffill and launched her fruitful association with
producer/vibraphonist Mike Mainieri. She recorded and toured
extensively with Steps Ahead, and Mainieri produced her debut
album on Columbia Records Trust the Universe. A dynamic
offering, Trust the Universe introduced Rachel's musical
diversity, reflecting the influence of Bill Evans, Herbie
Hancock, Chick Corea and Pat Metheny. Ironically, the CD features the jazz radio hit
entitled Nardis.
Rachel has
great harmonies and really swings at the piano!
Chick Corea
Also
fitting is Rachel's recent collaboration with Wayne Shorter, one
of her biggest influences. For almost two years, Rachel has been
Wayne's chief collaborator for his new project High Life.
She constructed a synthesized orchestral framework to help
crystallize Wayne's vision for the music. Rachel also played
acoustic piano on the record and is acting as musical director
for the extensive tour supporting the album's release.
Of all her work, Rachel's happiest on the road. As NYC Records'
president Mike Mainieri describes: "she's a throw-back to
the 40's & 50's, when Blakey, Miles and all of us toured 350
days a year." While touring with her women's trio
featuring bassist Tracy Wormworth and drummer Cindy Blackman,
Rachel has been showcasing new material which will appear on her
NYC Records' debut A Room Of One's Own. Titled after the
great literary work by novelist Virginia Wolfe, the album is
dedicated to the many women artists who have played an
influential role in Rachel's life. The works of contemporary
dancer Judith Jameson, African-American novelist Zora Neal
Hurston, and Billie Holiday are among the many inspirations which
will be celebrated on this release.
Biography courtesy of EMMECI.
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