Rachel Carmel Nicolazzo better known as Rachel Z, is a jazz pianist. She attended the Berklee College of Music Summer School and Manhattan School of Music Pre-College, where she launched the quintet, Nardis, whilst studying with Joanne Brackeen and Richie Beirachin NYC. Later Rachel Z graduated from the New England Conservatory with a 'Distinction in Performance' award. Rachel Z was a member of Steps Ahead from 1988 until 1996; however, she collaborated with a number of different artists during this time, establishing her name within the jazz scene. In 1995 she worked with Wayne Shorter, on his album High Life, which won a Grammy for Best Contemporary Jazz Album. She was responsible for the CD's synthesized orchestral settings, acoustic piano solos and several concurrent world tours.
In 1999 Rachel Z was a part of a jazz fusion project by Stanley Clarke and Lenny White. The effort, simply called Vertu,featured such artists as Karen Briggs on violin, Richie Kotzen on guitar (Clarke and White played together with Chick Corea in Return to forever). She dedicated A Room of One’s Own to the many women artists who have played a significant role in her life. Her characteristic musical intelligence and development of her genre has made her one of the most exciting female jazz musicians of the twenty-first century.
While working with the Italian legend Pino Daniele with whom she first began working in 1996. She later toured with Peter Gabriel during his Growing Up tours from 2002 to 2006.Her recent project, titled Dept. of Good and Evil, features drummer and husband Bobby Rae and bassist Maeve Royce. This trio's mission is unity and its ideas for transforming modern pop songs into jazz masterpieces using the jazz tradition as a benchmark for innovative and imaginative arrangements have thrust this group into the forefront of modern jazz.
Rachel is a valued member of the FM board and has been very generous with her time and talents working with FM World Charities’ youth programs.
FM World Charities Continues to Save Lives
FM World Charities brings its Skin Cancer Initiative to the surf community. After a successful run of screening 6500 on the legendary Warped Tour , Surf Expo 09 invited FM to their big event in Orlando. FM's special brand of awareness and screenings is perfect for the sun worshipping surf population. Founder/CEO Eric Gast speaks out on the FM mission.
On Saturday Oct 27th, 2007 Ricky Parent succumbed to cancer. Ricky was a close friend of mine and a valued member of FM World Charities. His passion for life and always enduring smile served as an inspiration to us all. I remember helping him in the studio with some drum tracks just months before his death.
