Jazz Articles about Rachel Z

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Rachel Z Shocks the Bunny

by Mike Brannon
February 25, 2003

Ok, quick...name all the artists you can think of with a last name starting with Z. Moon, Dweezil, Ahmet...but they're all in the Zappa family, right? Ok, Zamfir, if you've really gotta go there. Well, now there's another worthy of that elusive 26th letter... pianist/keyboardist Rachel Niccolazzo or Rachel Z, for short.

Numbered among her many accomplishments, the Grammy award-winning artist has recorded and toured with Wayne Shorter, Steps Ahead and is now a fixture on Peter Gabriel's “Growing Up ...

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Rachel Z Trio: Moon at the Window

by Todd S. Jenkins
November 18, 2002

Rachel Z's tribute to Joni Mitchell has perhaps arrived at just the right time, hot on the heels of Mitchell's decision to never record again. No doubt her die-hard fans will be clamoring for as much original and tribute material as possible, and a good many will find joy in this comfortable instrumental release.

It's impossible not to like the buoyant, loving arrangements that Rachel Z has collected here. However, for as many popular tunes as Joni Mitchell has created ...

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Rachel Z: On The Milky Way Express

by Mark Corroto
December 1, 2000

Rachel Z is a lot shorter than I expected her to be. The former Ms. Nicolazzo, henceforth the ‘Z,’ should be taller, much taller, a height equal to her ambitious sound. The once classical piano student turned jazz pianist, graduated from the New England Conservatory and set about playing music both inside and outside the jazz tradition. That simply means she has led two careers, one in acoustic post bop-oriented jazz and another in jazz-fusion. Playing with such diverse artists ...