(New Age, Smooth Jazz) Ozzie Ahlers - Fingerpainting - 1997, FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Ozzie Ahlers, Co-producer and songwriter with Craig Chaquico on his albums “Acoustic Highway”, “Acoustic Planet”, “A Thousand Pictures”, “Once in a Blue Universe”,“Four Corners”, “Panorama” , “Shadow and Light”, “Midnight Noon”, and “Holiday.” He also has his own solo album, “Fingerpainting” on Higher Octave Music to great critical and industry acclaim. Ozzie has been described as “keyboardist extraordinaire ” by Music Connection Magazine and hails from a rich musical background. Ozzie first came to California playing piano in Van Morrison’s band, then onto four albums for Jesse Colin Young, both as pianist and songwriter. Later that decade, he joined forces with Jerry Garcia in the Jerry Garcia Band for over three years of recording and world touring. During that time he also gained additional musical notoriety winning the Cannes Film Festival Award with his film score for the movie “Northern Lights.”

Continuing his film compositions, Ozzie was signed by Premavision and Art Clokey, the creator of “Gumby” to compose and produce three feature songs for “Gumby, The Movie.” He hired his longtime friend, Jefferson Starship guitarist and songwriter, Craig Chaquico for the sessions. After the film was completed Craig joined with Ozzie to co-write and co-produce the first solo album for Higher Octave Music, “Acoustic Highway” and the rest, as they say, is musical history.

That first album, shot up the charts,staying there for two full years, then was named Billboard Magazine’s # 1 Independent New Age album of the year, and won a Bammie (Bay Area Music Award) for Independent Album of the year. The follow-up album, “Acoustic Planet” released in September of 1994 debuted in Billboard at #2 and the following week went to #1, ending Yanni’s thirty week reign at the top. Later that year it was nominated for a Grammy Award as best New Age album, and it ,too, won won another Bammie. In 1995, Ozzie and Craig toured the U.S. with top Smooth Jazz artists Richard Elliot, Peter White and Warren Hill as “Guitars and Saxes and played to sold out crowds everywhere.Meanwhile, The H.E.A.R. Foundation of San Francisco(Hearing Education and Awareness) featured Ozzie Ahlers in their magazine and web campaign as Artist of the Year.

Ozzie released his own solo album “Fingerpainting” to great critical acclaim, and climbed both R&R and Gavin’s radio charts for thirteen weeks. Three more top selling CD’s including Craig’s best of album, “Panorama” rounded out the 90′s into the year 2000. During this time Ozzie has also produced and penned songs for blues singer Jimmy Dillon, as well as smooth jazz artists Ray Silkman and James Michael Joseph.

Ozzie Ahlers - piano, organ & all keyboards
Peter White - acoustic guitar
Jimmy Dillon - slide & electric guitar
Mario Cippolina - bass
Jim Reitzel - bass
G.G. Gonoway - drums
Wade Olson - drums
Kevin Palladini - tenor sax
Darius Russo - alto sax
Derrick Brave Elk - shaku flute