Two-time Grammy Winner Rachel Z is Back With A Jazz Piano Rendition of The Foo Fighters “These Days”

Her Forthcoming 13th Recording Sensual, Out Early 2024 Features Omar Hakim on Drums, Mino Cinelu’s percussion, And Tony Levin, Matt Penman, & Jonathan Toscano on Bass.

Pianist Rachel Z is set to release her 13th album with her talented trio, "Sensual," on February 9, 2024. In this collection of mesmerizing melodies, she takes listeners on a journey through her sensual experiences and emotions. Each track is a testament to her creative brilliance, as she weaves together intricate compositions that evoke a wide range of feelings. The first single “These Days” comes out on October 20, 2023

The Story of Recording “These Days” & Meeting Dave Grohl -

“Having been a Fan of Dave Grohl’s since Nirvana days - I have always loved his writing. He is a brilliant songsmith influenced by the Beatles and Punk, and even hard rock/metal. Dave creates heroic melodic alt-rock that always delivers intelligent life lessons. He is a grand master of drum orchestration.

Our personal journey with the Foo Fighters began during their Wasting Light Tour at MSG on Nov 13, 2011, when we had the fortune to meet them. Dave loved Omar’s work on David Bowie’s Let’s Dance and invited us to his gig. There, we briefly discussed the possibility of arranging one of their tracks, my favorite song “These Days”. Fortunately, they were agreeable!

When we were arranging the song for our album version, Omar and I started jamming on the riff and realized we had naturally played the song in 15/8. It then morphs into a few other time signatures like 7/4. I also wrote a few reharms and basically, it turned out to be quite challenging to play.

And so Omar and I, with the young bass master Jonathan Toscano on bass were inspired by this beautiful and profound song about the cycles of life- the paradox of getting f’d over and people saying oh it’s alright just relax- but inside you are crushed by that circumstance. We all fade from this earth and we all die, so we must develop compassion for all humans who will lose everything and everyone they love. At some point, we all return home to source energy.

We hope that fans of punk and rock will feel honored and respected by our efforts as we seek to bring another perspective to this awesome song.

We offer loving kindness and healing energy to the Foo Fighters and to Dave Grohl who have suffered some very heavy losses and have had that play out in real-time in real life. May our experimental exploration bring you peace.” - Rachel Z

Rachel Carmel Hakim (née Nicolazzo), widely acclaimed as Rachel Z, is a luminary of the jazz and rock realm with a dynamic discography and a versatile stand-alone musical spirit, her journey embodies a fusion of innovation and dedication.

Described as a modern-day virtuoso, Rachel Z's musical style, particularly her captivating improvisation, has drawn comparisons to iconic figures such as Herbie Hancock and McCoy Tyner. The London Times has lauded her as "an improviser whose spontaneous playing is by no means eclipsed by the work of presiding geniuses such as Herbie Hancock and McCoy Tyner" (John Fordham, The Guardian).

In a remarkable collaboration with saxophonist Najee, Rachel Z co-wrote the Grammy Award-winning and certified Gold Record "Tokyo Blue" in 1988, a testament to her songwriting prowess. Her involvement with the fusion band Steps Ahead from 1988 to1996 showcased her keyboard and piano virtuosity, a period marked by artistic exploration and growth.

In addition, contributed to Wayne Shorter's album "High Life," which won her a second Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Jazz Album in 1997. This collaboration showcased her ability to elevate compositions with her exceptional touch.

In addition to her 13 albums as a bandleader and her work in internationally acclaimed bands such as Steps Ahead, Vertú, the Omar Hakim Experience, and OZmosys, she has played and toured with Wayne Shorter, Stanley Clarke, Marcus Miller, Terri Lyne Carrington, Al Di Meola, and Regina Carter. Rachel came to worldwide prominence in the rock world in the Peter Gabriel concert films Growing Up Live and Still Growing Up Live.