Ozma

The Los Angeles power pop quintet Ozma developed their unique brand of guitar-based, synth-driven chaos in the latter half of the 1990s. Since the early days, Ozma has performed at every major L.A./Orange County rock venue, amassing a formidable following. Fans have been won over by Ozma’s powerful (yet surprisingly intimate) live show, their high quality, independently released recordings, and their ever-expanding presence in the online world of digital music.

In September 1995, Ozma formed quite by chance when Jose Galvez and Ryen Slegr met Daniel Brummel on the Internet and the three began collaborating on songs with high school friend Patrick Edwards on drums. The Internet remains crucial to Ozma: Their self-designed website, ozmaonline.com, helps strengthen the already close relationship the band enjoys with fans by allowing their questions to be answered directly and quickly.

Ozma is a truly dedicated band; this becomes evident when one learns that the members are all able to keep up with a busy performance and recording schedule while also remaining accomplished students. Edwards, who first started playing music with Slegr in middle school, was the first to finish school, with a degree in Philosophy from Occidental College. Both Galvez, a film and television student at Cal State Northridge, and Slegr, who studies history at UCLA, will also graduate soon. Band influences are eclectic, including artists in genres as varied as jazz-fusion, video game soundtracks, punk rock, and classical. Brummel and Slegr are accomplished jazz improvisers, and Wick plays flute for the Pepperdine Orchestra and recently had a chance to show off her skills on a couple tracks on Ozma’s most current release the Doubble Donkey Disc.

The band isn’t just sitting around waiting for the August 21st release of Rock and Roll Part Three. These days they’re busy writing songs for their next album for Kung Fu, and playing several local rock shows before heading out on the road again with one of their favorite bands, Nada Surf. This summer stint in the eastern States will afford new fans first exposed to Ozma on the Weezer tour a chance to see them in a much more intimate setting and perform a much longer set. After their east coast tour, Ozma will fly to Japan in October for two shows at the Tokyo Music Hall.