Omar Hakim

Omar Hakim
Omar Hakim performing at Jazztage Görlitz 2012
Background information
Born	(1958-02-12) February 12, 1958 (age 59) New York City, New York, U.S.
Genres	Jazz, jazz fusion, pop, funk, rock
Occupation(s)	Musician, producer, arranger, composer
Instruments	Drums, percussion, guitar, piano, vibraphone, keyboards, violin
Years active	1980–present
Associated acts	Miles Davis, Marcus Miller, Weather Report, Sting, Daft Punk, Michael Jackson, Madonna, Kate Bush, Dire Straits, Journey, David Bowie, Bryan Ferry

Omar Hakim (born February 12, 1958) is an American jazz, jazz fusion and pop music drummer, producer, arranger and composer. He has performed for some of the most high-profile music artists in the world, including David Bowie, Sting, Madonna, Dire Straits, Kate Bush, George Benson, Miles Davis, Mariah Carey and Celine Dion. Bowie described Hakim as "a fascinating drummer, with impeccable timing" and "always fresh in his approach".

A graduate of the New York School of Music and Art, Omar Hakim began his career recording with various pop and soul groups. His father, Hasan Hakim, had played trombone for Duke Ellington and Count Basie and that influence helped to warm the younger Hakim's ear up for the part he would play in one of the most famous jazz fusion acts ever, Weather Report.

Hakim credits jazz vibraphonist Mike Mainieri with giving him his first break in 1980; Hakim appeared in a video with Mainieri called The Jazz Life and began working with singer Carly Simon through Mainieri. Hakim first came to major attention as a member of Weather Report.

Hakim played drums on David Bowie's most commercially successful album, 1983's Let's Dance, as well as the follow-up, Tonight, in 1984. In the same year, Hakim did most of the drum work on Dire Straits' album Brothers in Arms, when the previous drummer Terry Williams' performance was found unsuitable for the desired sound of the album after most of the songs had already been recorded. Hakim recorded all the drum tracks on the album in two days and then left. Williams was, however, brought back for the tour. Hakim was also part of the band for Sting's first solo album, The Dream of the Blue Turtles, appearing in the film Bring on the Night.